Will You Be My Friend?
by Captainraychill
Summary: Draco's not as smooth as everyone thinks. Asteria's not as sweet as she seems. Perhaps, with a little help from the unicorns, they'll discover they're perfect for each other. VERY FLUFFY STORY! COMPLETE. Rated M for sex and language. Enjoy!
1. Chapter 1

**Four Weeks Ago**

_He prowled through the restaurant with the dark, silent grace of a jungle cat, dressed in black, the color of mystery, the shade of midnight, the hue of secrets. Candlelight cast a singular glow upon him. His platinum hair gleamed like polished silver. His gray eyes gleamed like even more polished silver. I was captured by his predatory gaze. No one could save me now, even if I wished to be saved. Which I didn't. Wish to be saved, that is. For I was his eager prey..._

_Had I been enchanted? What strange power did Draco Malfoy hold over me? This scion of an ancient family? This heartbreaker? This irresistible playboy who loves them and leaves them time and time and time again? Could_ _I be the witch to reform this gorgeous rogue? _

"_Hello," he purred, his voice low and sensuous like a cat's. I shivered... but with heat. _

_-Excerpt from "My Date With Playboy Draco Malfoy", Witch Weekly, Volume 105, Issue 21_

* * *

><p>"This is ridiculous," said Pansy Parkinson, looking up from the article. "...<em>his voice low and sensuous like a cat's.<em> Were you meowing at her?"

"Meow," Draco said, his voice low and sensuous like a cat's, before taking a bite of his cheesecake. He and Pansy sat in a corner booth at Finnegan's, a parchment unrolled between them. His recommendations for her investments.

"Seriously," she continued. "This so-called writer shouldn't be allowed near a quill, except to poke out her own eyes. What idiot believes this shite?"

On cue, a pretty blond walked up to their table. She wore a pink tee-shirt printed with sparkly hearts and clutched a copy of _Witch Weekly _and a self-inking quill.

"Are you... are you Playboy Draco Malfoy?" she asked breathlessly. Her brown eyes were wide and slightly dazed. Draco would have thought she was twelve, if not for her impressively large tits.

"Yes," he said smoothly. "Yes, I am."

The girl actually squealed. He had never heard a witch make that sound in a restaurant before.

"Oh, God! Imelda said it wasn't you, but I _knew _it was. I knew it _had_ to be. That hair. Those eyes. Like polished silver. Would you please sign my magazine? Please, please, please!"

"A moment, miss," Pansy interrupted sharply. "As Mr. Malfoy's agent, it is my regrettable duty to inform you that he is no longer signing copies of his article in _Witch Weekly_."

The woman looked shocked and disillusioned with life as if Pans had just informed her that all unicorns were sluts. Smiling, Draco leaned back to watch the show.

"But -"

"I'm sorry," Pansy said. "The ink stains his cuffs. His shirts are imported from Italy and are quite expensive. You must understand..."

"But -"

"How old are you, dear?"

"Seventeen."

"Tell me the truth!"

"I'm seventeen, ma'am, I swear!"

Pansy leaned forward aggressively. She hadn't changed her look in years because she didn't need to. It was strong: her black lacquer hair cut short with blunt bangs, her blue eyes dramatically lined and her lips and fingernails painted cherry red. She was stunning. Draco even loved her funny, tip-tilted nose. She was a clever bitch and his best friend. He probably would have married her if she weren't a devout lesbian.

The squealing girl didn't stand a chance.

"However," Pansy said, "I might have a solution since you're seventeen."

Five minutes later, Draco had signed the girl's bra and the bras of twelve other young witches in the restaurant. When a scandalized older couple had complained about indecency these days, the proprietor, Seamus, had ripped up their bill without taking his giddy eyes off the scene. Draco had been slipped seven names and Floo addresses, which he gave to Pansy. She discarded them into the dark, gritty remains of her coffee, as she was currently (and quite successfully) courting Ginny Weasley.

"That was fun," Draco said, shifting in his seat. No healthy, straight wizard could touch all those breasts without getting hard.

"Wasn't it?" Pansy said. She scanned the _Witch Weekly_ article again and drew a moustache onto Draco's photograph with the quill left on their table. "They have no idea how unsmooth you really are."

"Please, I have 'the dark, silent grace of a jungle cat'," he said.

"So I've read," she murmured, glancing up. "Oh, look, it's Asteria."

Several things happened at once, as they always did when Draco saw Asteria Greengrass or heard her name. He was gripped by a vicious panic and felt like he had been hit by four spells at once. _Confundus_, for one. And some variation of the Jelly-Legs Jinx that left his whole body feeling boneless and awkward. He looked up quickly in the direction of Pansy's gaze. By the time he realized Asteria was nowhere in sight, he also realized his hand was in his cheesecake and his overturned coffee had spilled across the table, staining the edge of the parchment. A waitress hurried over to clean up.

"Cheer up, jungle cat," Pansy teased. "At least Finnegan doesn't have any giant ice sculptures for you to annihilate."

Draco felt his skin grow hot as he _Scourgified_ cheesecake off his hand. God, sometimes he hated Pansy. He should tell her to invest in squid oil futures. That would put a dent in the 50,000 galleons his advice had earned her last year. It would serve her right, her and her weird, puggy nose.

Asteria Greengrass, by contrast, had a perfect nose.

Draco knew he'd probably first seen Asteria at school. She was two years younger than him and a Slytherin, so he must have. He just didn't _remember_ her presence at Hogwarts at all. If she had been as gangly as her sister, she wouldn't have grown into her looks until about fifteen. And he had been a little busy during his seventh year. So he considered the first time he really saw Asteria to be the night of the Greengrass Valentine's Day Ball, almost four months ago.

Or as Pansy called it, the Night Draco Destroyed that Giant-Ass Ice Swan.

* * *

><p><strong>Almost Four Months Earlier on Valentine's Day<strong>

The swan was the centerpiece of the dance floor. It was as large as a ship and so tall that its graceful head almost touched the chandeliers. Smooth and gleaming, it was carved entirely of ice enchanted not to melt despite the mansion's warming charms. Light emanated from it, as if fairies were frozen inside it, and a massive garland of red and pink roses hung around its lithe neck. And as if all of these things weren't enough, the entire contraption rotated, slowly and serenely, on a base formed of thousands of glittering spheres, each the size of a Remembral.

Draco saw the woman talking to Zabini near the swan and felt a shock of attraction, an irresistible pull to be as close to her as possible. His heart beating wildly, he walked toward her across the dance floor. With every step, he realized just how lovely she is. Dark hair swept up, long neck, deep blue eyes, flawless skin. In her high heels, she was the perfect height for kissing. And her lips... _Christ._

"Calling in Favor Number Three," he called out to Zabini in Italian. With an irritated scowl, Blaise kissed the lady's hand and departed without explanation.

"Hello, Draco," she said as he approached. Her voice was sweet and soothing.

"Hello," he said. She smiled, and he actually felt light-headed.

He was about to ask her name when it happened.

Both his feet slipped on something... Rose petals. Spilt wine. He would never know. Before he could even fathom it, he was flat on his back and sliding across the marble floor, right past the beautiful woman and into the base of glittering spheres.

Right under the ice swan's arse.

He expected a jolt but didn't feel one, his impact strangely soft as if someone had cast a Cushioning Charm. The spheres began to shift and shiver against each other, tinkling like ice in a glass. Whatever magic that had held them together was broken. They started to roll. Thousands of them. The room erupted into chaos.

And the giant swan swayed.

For an instant Draco thought this was how he would die. Crushed under the arse of an enormous ice swan. The name Malfoy would forever be synonymous with Ridicule, which was so much worse than Evil. But the swan tipped forward instead, away from him. He watched helplessly as it slid down the disintegrating slope of spheres, picking up speed until it was racing across the dance floor.

It really was one chance in a thousand that the swan glided right through the great archway that led out onto the terrace and gardens. Like a Quaffle through the goal. For a moment, the giant swan flew, suspended in the night air, shimmering white. And then it fell and was gone.

"No!"

Draco heard the woman's cry amid the screams.

He looked up at her, still flat on his back, and saw pain cross her face at the sound of a small glacier shattering into the Greengrass reflecting pool. Which was occupied, even in wintertime, by the famous Greengrass swans.

Only one survived the massacre. One of a mated pair.

* * *

><p><strong>Back at Finnegan's, Four Weeks Ago<strong>

Since that night, Draco thought of Asteria all the time. He constantly woke up in an erotic daze from dreams of her. But despite his playboy reputation, his 'dark grace_'_, every time he decided to approach her again, he was haunted by that giant ice swan. Anytime she was near, anytime she was even mentioned, he became nervous and as clumsy as a First Year after three shots of Firewhiskey.

It was better not to approach her at all.

Bloody, sodding swan.

"Well," Pansy said, setting down the quill as she took their check from their waitress. "I suppose you could always go to her shop. Buy something."

Draco blinked as he took the check from Pansy.

"She has a shop?"

"New in Diagon Alley a couple of weeks ago. And doing very well, I think. It's between Weasleys' and Fortescue's."

"What an awful location. That part of the Alley's crawling with brats." And all those whistles and explosions next door... That couldn't be desirable for Asteria's refined clientele. Perhaps she needed assistance with her business plan. He could help her develop a strategic vision.

"What kind of shop is –"

"I've got to go," Pansy said abruptly. "I'm late for an appointment."

Draco barely noticed her leave as he imagined himself walking through Diagon Alley, his robes whipping in the wind. As he entered the peaceful sanctuary of Asteria's shop, his pale hair would gleam beneath the singular glow of antique chandeliers. She would sell antiques or perhaps wine, something sophisticated. Perhaps, in the hushed, intimate atmosphere of the shop, he wouldn't be nervous. Perhaps he could just be himself.

He should go today. Or tomorrow.

He glanced down at Pansy's discarded copy of _Witch Weekly. _His photograph stared back at him, with a moustache, an eye patch and two blacked-out teeth. Silverware clattered in the restaurant kitchen. But, in his mind, he heard the sound of ice shattering.

Actually, tomorrow's schedule was fairly full. But he should be able to pop into Asteria's shop within the week. Yes, definitely within the week.

At the very latest.

* * *

><p><strong>Two Weeks Later, also known as Two Weeks Ago<strong>

"Fuck," Draco muttered.

He heard a gasp and looked down to meet the stern glare of a little, brown-haired girl who'd stopped before him.

"You said a dirty word," she scolded before sticking her nose up in the air and stomping away.

_Seriously? What the hell..._

Draco stood in the middle of the crowded cobblestone street that twisted through Diagon Alley. To his left was the raucous storefront of Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, fireworks spinning and popping. To his right, a pair of young witches gossiped outside of Fortescue's as their sundaes melted into colorful goo in the late June sun.

Directly in front of him was the only shop between them.

The Love Magic Princess Rainbow Unicorn Shop.

This couldn't be right.

The shop was painted a shade of pink that somehow seemed both sweet and aggressive at the same time. Its preposterous name was printed in black letters on a white awning trimmed with frilly ruffles. A steady stream of little girls with their mothers or elf nannies walked in and out of the shop's black door. There was no display window.

Asteria Greengrass was delicate, beautiful and elegant. She would sell delicate perfumes or beautiful jewelry or elegant robes. He could not – he _would_ not - be infatuated with a woman who dealt in the love princess unicorn trade, whatever the hell that was.

It had to be a mistake. Or Pansy was playing a trick on him.

He walked forward decisively, opened the black door and stepped inside the shop.

* * *

><p><strong>Reviews are welcomed! :)<strong>


	2. Chapter 2

**Mere Seconds Later**

Nothing in Draco's twenty-five years could have prepared him for this. Not the chill of Voldemort's touch on his arm, not Nagini. Not witnessing torture or murder or his childhood friend's death by Fiendfyre. This was horror on an entirely different scale.

The shop wasn't a shop at all. It was... It... Draco's mouth fell open.

He felt like a confused giant who'd stumbled into a strange land. Vivid green meadows rolled before him. A waterfall, two stories high, poured into an iridescent, heart-shaped pool. There was no ceiling, only blue sky, and spanning the sky was a large rainbow, each end sitting on a cushion of fluffy, white clouds. Everywhere, flowers bloomed, birds chirped, bunnies hopped, harp music played. As Draco took a deep breath, to clear the floss in his head, he smelled strawberries and cream, his favorite dessert.

And the unicorns...

They were everywhere. They were terrifying. Abominations of nature and true purity.

Each about a hand high, they were all the soft colors that reminded him of babies: pink, blue, lavender, mint green, butter yellow and white. They were tattooed with glittery hearts and stars and flowers. Their tails and manes were pastel-colored or, in some extreme cases, rainbow-colored. Their horns were silver or gold. Some had wings...

_Wings_?

Charmed to frolic, the toy unicorns cantered around the meadow, splashed under the waterfall, flew around the sky with their impossible wings and slid down the rainbow giggling. They rode in tiny hot-air balloons and on a little train filled with candy. They danced, sang and ate ice cream out of raspberries.

Dozens of little girls ran around the shop, all of them practically swooning with excitement and saying awful things Draco never wanted to hear again.

Like "Mummy, Princess Glitterina needs more ribbons for her mane!"

Or "Lipsy, I can't wait to go up Unicorn Mountain and have a tea party in the Love Magic Princess Rainbow Palace."

Draco glanced up, fearful, and saw that there was indeed a castle above the waterfall. Banners emblazoned with rainbow hearts fluttered from its golden turrets. He felt like he'd just swallowed a box full of vomit-flavored Every Flavor Beans.

"Fuck," he muttered.

"You said a dirty word!"

He felt an eerie sense of _deja vu_ at the sound of the high, sweet, wispy voice near his ear. He turned sharply and was face-to-face with a little unicorn floating on a cloud. It was pink with glittery silver stars on its flanks, a silver horn and a rainbow mane and tail. Its eyes were lavender and demonically enormous.

"Fuck," Draco said again, experimentally.

"You said a dirty word again!" the scandalized unicorn gasped. Draco suddenly felt the urge to curse up a storm, just to see what would happen, but he didn't dare risk it inside the shop.

_I've just been chastised by a toy unicorn. A cock-sucking, ass-faced, shit-eating toy unicorn._

"I like to make new friends," the unicorn said cheerfully. "Will you be my friend?"

_Bloody hell!_

He had to escape. No woman was worth this. Every second he stayed in this sinister, pastel Hell, his prick would shrink until it disappeared in a puff of glitter. His balls would shrivel into rainbow-colored marbles and fall off for the unicorns to play kickball with. He had to get out of here _right_ _now_.

"May I help you find a unicorn friend?"

This voice was not high and wispy. It was sweet and soothing. Its alto register sent delicious chills down Draco's spine.

Asteria.

He turned to her and was overwhelmed by a sweep of pleasure. He had never stood this close to her before, not even on that ill-fated Valentine's Day. Pansy's picture of her (which he'd secretly _Geminioed_) hadn't done her justice. She was exquisite. Her wide blue eyes looked up at him under the longest eyelashes he'd ever seen. Her dark hair was tied back in a sleek ponytail. She wore crisply tailored, pale blue dress robes. His heart began to race, and all the urbane lines he'd practiced in front of the mirror burned up in a rush of blood.

In his dreams, whenever he stood this close to her, he simply pulled her into his arms and kissed her.

_Do it_, he thought. He leaned forward slightly.

Then he remembered all those dead swans, and a wave of nausea rolled through him.

"Hello, Draco," she said after a long silence.

"Uh... um, hello, Asteria," he said, blushing. Actually blushing. This was a disaster.

"May I help you find a unicorn friend?" she repeated with a gentle smile.

Still hovering on a cloud near Draco's ear, the pink unicorn chimed in, "Will you be _my_ friend?"

"This one seems to like you very much," Asteria said.

"Yes... I - I'm looking for one for a friend. A girl friend. Not a girlfriend, all one word. Two words. A... the daughter of a friend. She's... six?"

_Shut up! _ Draco clenched his hands into fists. He felt the little cloud brush against his hair and heard the unicorn giggle. He wanted to punch it in the face and send it hurtling over the meadow. He looked down at Asteria instead, a carefully blank expression in his eyes. He hoped.

"Wonderful," she said. "What do you think of this one?"

"It's fine. I'll take it." _And feed it to the peacocks._

"Fantastic. Did you hear that, little one?" Asteria turned to address the unicorn. "Mr. Malfoy is going to take you to meet a new friend."

"Oh! Oh! Oh! A friend!"

The little unicorn pranced around in circles on the cloud, looking like it was about to pee.

_Oh, God, please don't let them pee._

"Yes, that's right," Asteria said brightly. "So come on down from that cloud. It's time to get you ready." She held out her palm, and the unicorn trotted onto it. It turned its head up toward Draco and smiled, seeming to glow with a faint golden aura.

Asteria walked away, clearly expecting Draco to follow her. As he did, he decided that he would not like this woman anymore. It wasn't wise. She might be beautiful, but she was clearly insane. St. Mungo's, Fourth Floor, Longterm Lock-Up insane. He couldn't have a mad heir.

"Watch out for the Sweetie Pie Express," she said, to perfectly illustrate this point. Draco looked down as she stepped gracefully over a little train filled with candy and unicorns.

Christ, her legs were gorgeous, long and slender. Her blue heels were extremely high and trimmed with dainty bows. They reminded Draco of knickers. His imagination spiraled out of control, picturing Asteria in just those heels and matching knickers. He would still be fully dressed. In his bedroom, the lights low. He would take her by her waist and then...

He heard a chorus of little screams and realized he was about to crush a compartment of the Sweetie Pie Express under his big, black shoe. He stumbled forward, missing the terrified unicorns by inches and barely holding in a curse. Now, after his little fantasy, the hard-on he'd had since he'd first seen Asteria today was a painful hard-on. He straightened his long jacket and followed her under an archway fashioned to look like a high bridge, its trusses covered with miniature roses.

"This is Love Magic Princess Rainbow Unicorn Village," she declared.

They walked onto a cobblestone circle lined with shops. The half-timbered, pastel buildings had peaked roofs and windows decorated with flowerboxes and painted shutters. Harp music was replaced by the charming wheeze of an accordion. A fountain burbled in the center of the village. Beyond the rooftops were snow-capped mountains and another damned rainbow. And the other side of the castle.

Even though unicorns and little girls still roamed everywhere, Draco didn't feel like such a giant anymore. The shops were open air and large enough for an adult to enter. They sold things he would never have guessed a unicorn needed: robes, shoes, tiaras, candy, dolls, books, houses, furniture, carriages and pets.

"Unicorns have pets?" he asked.

"If you wish," Asteria said. "The kittens are quite –" She was interrupted by the chiming of melodious bells.

"Tea Time!"

Every girl and unicorn in the shop shrieked this at the same time and rushed up the well-disguised steps that led up Unicorn Mountain. In under a minute, Draco found he was blissfully alone with Asteria Greengrass. Almost.

"Oh! Oh! Oh! It's T_ea_ Time!" the pink unicorn in her hand cried out, prancing in place. "Will you please take me to tea?" It stared beseechingly at Draco. "Please, please, please!"

"No," he said.

The unicorn wilted with a disappointed sigh. It perked up when Asteria reached under its belly. "That tickles," it laughed before suddenly collapsing, fast asleep and snoring faintly. They could be deactivated. Brilliant.

"Thanks for playing along, Draco," Asteria said as she lay the unicorn down on the stone basin of the fountain.

"Playing along?"

"With the illusion, for the children. I know you don't care about Unicorn Village."

"Isn't it Love Magic Angel Rainbow Lollipop Unicorn Village?" he teased.

When Asteria laughed softly, Draco's heart slammed inside his chest. He was gripped by a surge of triumph and felt like he'd just taken a swig of _Felix Felicis_. His interest in potions had led him to brew a small bottle of Liquid Luck a couple of years ago. What a glorious feeling that had been. Confidence, exhilaration, an invigorating sense of Right. Complete faith in his purpose and his path and his future.

This moment with Asteria, this feeling, was better. He took a step forward.

"It's Love Magic Princess Rainbow Unicorn Village," she corrected him, her eyes sparkling. "I conducted several focus groups to get the name just right. Respect it."

"Oh, I respect your unicorns, Asteria," he murmured. "I respect them very much."

_She isn't insane_, he thought as he took another step forward. He wouldn't have a mad heir.

He was standing very close to her now, too close for his intentions not to be clear. She looked up at him, and her beautiful lips parted. He heard her breath quicken and saw her cheeks flush pink. His reaction was primal and powerful and gripped his entire body. He _had_ to have her. He was going to take her right here, right now, under a rainbow, in front of sodding Unicorn Fountain. And it was going to be perfect.

"Miss Greeeen-graaaas!"

Asteria gasped and stepped back, placing her hand just above her heart.

"Oh, Miss Greeeen-graaaas!" the disembodied voice called out again. It had an Italian accent, and Draco couldn't tell if it was male or female. He only knew he wanted to violently silence it forever.

"Yes, Stefano?" Asteria said. She held the small, silver heart charm on her necklace up to her mouth like a Muggle microphone.

"Won't you please come up to tea, Miss Greengrass? These little _rhymes with witches_ are going berserk!"

"Be right there. One minute."

Draco's chest actually ached as he watched Asteria run her hands down her skirt and over her hair, trying to smooth away the heat that had seized her. When she looked back at him, her eyes were friendly but cool. Merely professional.

"Please excuse me, but I have to go," she said. "May I assume you'd like to purchase the Deluxe Package for your friend's daughter's unicorn?"

"What's the Deluxe Package?"

"It includes at least one of everything and a full wardrobe with various accessories. It's the best."

"That's fine, but no pets."

"Very well. I'll send my assistant manager, Stefano, down to assist you. Thank you for shopping at the Love Magic Princess Rainbow Unicorn Shop, Mr. Malfoy."

He knew that at this point of the conversation, she would normally hold out her hand to shake his with unfailing politeness. But she didn't.

"It was my pleasure, Miss Greengrass," Draco said. He left his hands by his sides, too.

_Everything had gone so well_, he thought as he watched her climb up Unicorn Mountain. He hadn't destroyed a giant ice swan or killed any real swans. He hadn't stammered when speaking to her, at least not after the first few minutes. And thanks to Stefano, he hadn't thrown her down, torn off all her clothes and ravished her in the middle Unicorn Village, which would have been a tactical error.

He had, however, discovered that she wanted him, too, and that was enough for now.

If he was in peak Slytherin form, he would leave now before she looked back down at him. _If_ she looked back down at him. But in the end, he couldn't turn away. He watched her like a spellbound fool as she disappeared behind a cloud... without a backward glance.

* * *

><p><strong>That Night<strong>

Draco was at his desk in the library, writing notes on his architect's sketches for the renovation, when he heard the footsteps in the corridor. If they could be called footsteps.

_Clip-clop. Clip-clop. Clip-clop._

"Hellooo?"

The wispy, forlorn voice echoed from somewhere in the dark manor. After a moment of silence, it spoke again, without confidence.

"I am not afraid of the dark... Hellooooo?"

God, that thing was pathetic. He wasn't about the help it find its way. Not when the end result would be for it to annoy the hell out of him.

His time with Stefano had been brief, because Stefano clearly wanted to have passionate sex with Playboy Draco Malfoy. Draco had Apparated home as quickly as possible, a dozen bags in tow. An hour later, the pink unicorn had woken up, found him and asked, "Will you play with me?" After several attempts to deactivate it, which had just resulted in the unicorn laughing uncontrollably ("Stop tickling me!") Draco had searched unsuccessfully for the manual. He vaguely remembered Stefano mentioning a manual.

_Clip-clop. Clip-clop. Clip-clop._

"Hello? Oh! Oh! There you are!"

Draco ground his teeth as the little unicorn galloped toward him across the ancient Persian rug that spanned the library.

"I missed you!" it said, sitting at Draco's feet. "Did you miss me?"

"No. I thought you were chasing butterflies in the garden."

"It's dark now. The garden is scary in the dark." The unicorn's voice dropped to a whisper. "There are statues of snakes in it."

"Not for long," Draco said. Since his father's death in the war, Draco had slowly been making the mansion and its grounds his own, which involved a great deal of "de-snaking" as his mother called it. She was spending the summer in Tuscany with Voleta Zabini.

"Will you chase butterflies with me tomorrow?"

"No."

"We could play Tag with the peacocks. They like it a lot."

"Shut up, Unicorn."

Draco knew from experience that the unicorn would only shut up for about thirty seconds before running its little mouth again. After supper, he had considered shoving it into a pillowcase and having his fastest owl deliver it to Pansy. But that would have jeopardized his lie. He looked down to see the unicorn gazing up at him, beaming with a faint golden light, just as it had earlier today when standing in Asteria's hand.

He leaned down, picked it up and set it on his desk.

"You've got something stuck in your tail," he muttered.

"What is it? What is it?" The unicorn pranced in backwards circles, trying to see its own backside.

"Hold still," Draco snapped. "It's a blade of grass." He picked it out and cast it aside. The unicorn shook out its tail and glanced back at Draco.

"Do you want to braid my tail?" it said, wiggling its butt.

"Absolutely not," Draco said as he scooped up the unicorn and set it back down on the floor. "Now, go away."

"When the sun goes down, it's bedtime," it said. "Where is my bed?"

"Sleep in the fireplace."

"Fire is dangerous."

"Precisely."

Draco had just immersed himself in the plans for the new garden when he realized the room was too quiet. He looked up and saw the pink unicorn standing in front of the low fire in the hearth, a hellish red glow coloring its mane. It seemed contemplative, its head turned to one side.

"Stop," Draco sighed. "Come here. I'll find you a damned bed."

"You said a dirty word."

"Won't be the last fucking time. Now, shut up and follow me."

Exasperated, Draco walked into the corridor and toward the nearest downstairs bedroom. The unicorn galloped beside him to keep pace with his long strides. The bedroom was small by the manor's standards but luxurious. Draco yanked opened the drapes, and pale moonlight illuminated the darkness, revealing a four poster bed.

"Oooo, pretty!" The unicorn sniffed at the French lace that trimmed the bed skirt and gave what could only be called an adorable sneeze. "Excuse me."

"This is your bedroom. Feel free to sleep late tomorrow . All day, if you like. I won't mind." As Draco said this, he picked up the unicorn and tossed it, with a gentle underhanded pitch, onto the center of the soft bed.

"Wheeeeeeee!"

It landed with a bounce and then stood up and walked around, lifting its legs to exaggerated heights with each step. Draco was halfway to the door, thinking about the garden's water features, when it spoke again.

"Will you tell me a bedtime story?"

"No."

"Pretty please with sugar and hugs and kisses on top?"

"Shut up, Unicorn."

Draco was five steps into the hall when he heard a wispy voice say, "Good night. Sleep tight. Have sweet dreams... I am glad you are my friend."

* * *

><p><strong>One Week Later, Also Known as One Week Ago<strong>

"Asteria," said Draco. "I'll need one hundred unicorns."

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes:<strong>

Regarding Voleta Zabini, Blaise's mother: I picked a first name I liked the sound of from a list of French baby girl names. Turns out Voleta means "Veiled One". Fitting name for a seven-time widow. Complete coincidence.

Reviews are welcomed! :)


	3. Chapter 3

**Five Minutes Before That**

It never would have happened if he'd just owled her. But his mother had taught him certain unbreakable rules regarding women, and one of them was that it was disrespectful to ask a woman out by owl.

So here he stood, again, in the vomit-inducing nightmare that was the Love Magic Princess Rainbow Unicorn Shop. His eyes met Asteria's across the meadow, and his stomach lurched for an entirely different reason. She smiled and walked toward him, beautiful in sleek, butter yellow dress robes. She wore her hair tied back again. He wondered what it looked like loose and long. Down her naked back...

"Hello, Draco," she said, stopping before him.

"Hello, Asteria," he replied warmly.

"Hello, Ferret."

Draco smelled smoke, like the cloud that hovers around spent fireworks, and looked to his left to see the thin, freckled face of George Weasley. He wore an aqua blue dragon skin jacket that clashed spectacularly with his spiky red hair. A second later, the jacket turned chartreuse, which, amazingly, was even less flattering.

"Are you here to find a unicorn friend?" the annoying ginger teased.

"Shut up, Twin," Draco sneered.

Never caring enough to tell the Weasley twins apart, Draco had settled on this moniker for either of them back in school. Even though he knew Fred had died and only George remained, he saw no reason to change old habits now or coddle anyone.

"Now that I think about it," Weasley said, "I can see you as the love magic princess rainbow unicorn type. That ethereal hair..."

"I'm here to buy gifts, for charity," Draco lied smoothly. "Asteria, I'll need one hundred unicorns."

"Charity. Yeah, right," Weasley said with a loud snort. No surprise there. After all, he was raised on some sort of farm. "Exactly what charity?"

"An orphanage in Wiltshire. The Malfoys have been its patrons for over two hundred years."

"Any orphan _boys_ there or are you just creepy?" Weasley sneered.

"Unicorns can be anyone's friend," Asteria said sweetly, gazing up at Draco. Was she serious? He thought he saw a glint of something wicked and teasing in her gorgeous, blue eyes, and it heated his blood.

"Oh, come off it, Tori," Weasley said. "You know this rainbow S-H-I-T would get any self-respecting boy clobbered. Wouldn't want to add to the plight of a poor orphan, now would you?"

That git had called her Tori. The heat curling through Draco's blood became a jealous burn. He wanted to punch Weasley's ugly face. He wanted to drown him in the fucking heart-shaped fountain under fucking Unicorn Waterfall. Wesley's jacket chose that instant to turn the exact butter yellow shade of Asteria's robes.

"Hey, look at us!" the twin said, pulling her up against him with one arm.

A flying unicorn orbited them and said, "You look like sunshine!"

"Did you hear that, Ferret?" Weasley said with a pointed look at Draco's black suit. "_We_ look like sunshine."

Asteria reached up to squeeze George's hand before deftly removing it from her shoulder. The move wasn't lost on either man, and Draco smirked, uncurling his fists.

"I do have plans to open a shop for boys next year," she said. "But it's still in the product development phase."

"Yeah, the Blood Battle Centaur Doom Warrior Shop!" Weasley growled, shaking one fist in the air aggressively.

Draco raised his eyebrows. Why hadn't she opened _that_ shop first? He'd much prefer a centaur doom warrior to a pink unicorn that talked too much and had an unnatural butterfly fixation.

"I haven't decided on a name yet, George," Asteria said.

"Well, I like that one."

"I know you do."

"And I'm a boy." Draco was thrilled that Weasley's color-shifting jacket turned fuchsia as he asserted his gender.

"I know you are, George. Could you please excuse me?" Asteria said with a smile as she turned away. "Draco, please follow me."

"Just point me toward the gimlikin scarves," Weasley called after her. "It's Victoire's birthday next week, and she's been talking about them for days. Wants one for herself _and_ her unicorn. It's driving Fleur barmy."

"Visit Love Magic Princess Rainbow Unicorn Village and ask for Stefano," Asteria said, pointing toward the archway covered with tiny roses. "And remember to tell him it's for Victoire."

As he walked away, the twin made a rude gesture at Draco, which Draco chose not to reciprocate in case it set off a puritanical unicorn. He followed Asteria toward the waterfall instead, wondering what a gimlikin was.

A few days ago, at dinner, the pink unicorn had said it wanted a gimlikin scarf. But it said a lot of things that didn't make sense or that Draco thought were idiotic. Like that long conversation about cupcakes, which now took up valuable space in his brain. Space that should be reserved for more important things like his portfolio or his plans for the manor. Or the tantalizing seams that traveled up the back of Asteria's pale stockings. Or the fact that she used sexy phrases like _focus groups_ and _product development phase_.

At the waterfall, Asteria waved her hand. The water parted for them like a long, silky curtain. She walked through the gap, and he followed, his ears filled with a roar like the sea. The second he was clear of the entrance, the parted water slipped back together and hushed, glowing soft blue behind him.

Her office wasn't what he'd expected. It wasn't pink or mint green or lavender, and there wasn't a rainbow or unicorn in sight. For some reason, he felt at peace, as if he were home. A moment later, he realized why. Asteria's desk, her carpet, her fireplace, her walls of books. It was as if someone had taken the style and elements of his library and feminized them, making them smaller and bleaching them to pale, peaceful shades of cream, blue and caramel. She even had the same silver quill set he did.

"Please have a seat," she said, indicating one of the two chairs facing the desk. "Can I get you tea or coffee?"

"Coffee, thanks," Draco answered, sitting down. A moment later, she handed him a cup of black coffee that smelled of cinnamon. He glanced up at her curiously and then took a tentative sip of the drink. Coffee with cinnamon and pepper, just how he liked it.

"Not too much pepper, I hope," Asteria said.

"How did you know?"

"Pansy mentioned it once. I have an excellent memory."

"And if I had asked for tea?"

"Then I would have had to ask how you take it."

As she spoke, Asteria summoned a white book from a shelf onto the desk. Without a wand, Draco noticed. Much like she had opened and closed the waterfall. It seemed that the younger Greengrass had a fair amount of skill and power, more than her sister, if he remembered Daphne's four O.W.L.'s correctly. Draco was so engrossed in this thought that he visibly started when, instead of sitting across the desk from him, Asteria sat in the chair beside him. His heart thudded at her sudden closeness. He glanced down as she crossed her slim legs at the ankles, her butter yellow high heels resting inches from his shoes. He flushed hot, tension coiling inside him.

"So," she said, opening the white book. "_Are_ there any boys at the orphanage?"

"No. It's an institution for girls," he said, leaning closer. He could smell the perfume rising off her skin, and it made him dizzy.

"Then I would recommend each girl be given a slightly different unicorn so there won't be confusion. This book illustrates our basic model with a variety of different color and detailing options. There are literally thousands of permutations."

Draco glanced at the book for one second, saw a rendering of a pink unicorn standing on a cloud wink at him, and looked away. "I trust you to take care of all stylistic elements."

"Excellent," Asteria said. She pulled an elegant notepad out of her robes and picked up a quill to jot down a few notes. "May I assume again that you want the Deluxe Package for each unicorn? Or, in the case of lodging, we could include several larger structures to accommodate group play."

"Whatever is best."

"Understood," she said briskly. "I'll take care of everything.

With a decisive slash of her quill, Asteria sat back in her chair and crossed her legs. The toe of her shoe accidentally grazed Draco's trouser leg, and he felt like he'd been hit in the gut by a Stunning spell. Breathless, his body crackling with energy, he was struck again by the powerful urge to _take_ this woman like some sort of savage. To pull her to the floor and make her scream with pleasure. He resisted, holding still, his muscles hard.

Asteria was talking, but he didn't hear her words. He watched her lips moving, fascinated. They really were the most beautiful lips he'd ever seen. Pink and soft, the top one a teasing curve, the bottom one full and luscious. He would give anything, _anything_, to kiss her. In a daze, he began to realize her lips were forming the same word over and over.

"Draco?" he finally heard her say.

"Yes?" he answered, blinking.

"I was just saying that we can deliver the unicorns directly to the orphanage within four days. What is its name and location?"

He knew as much about orphanages in Wiltshire as he knew about gimlikins, which was not a damn thing. "My steward, Kullberg, is handling all the details. Just make the delivery to the manor."

"Are you certain? That many unicorns can get lively without proper attention."

"I... like to see the looks on their little faces myself," he said. "Kullberg and I will deliver them to the orphanage within hours."

"That's sweet of you, Draco," Asteria said softly. "You're so thoughtful."

The tone of her voice, the way she said his name almost tenderly, made his breath catch. He leaned forward and lied. "I'm sorry. I didn't hear you. What did you say?"

Asteria uncrossed her legs and leaned forward as well.

"I said that you are very thoughtful."

"Well." He shrugged. "It's a family obligation."

"Don't belittle your generosity. It means a great deal to those little girls. I promise I'll make this donation very special for them."

As Asteria spoke, she reached out and lightly touched the back of Draco's hand. The caress was practically over before it began, but it left him feeling faint, his skin hot and his heartbeat racing. A desperate desire surged through him to reach out and snatch her hand back. But he knew how foolish that would seem.

"Asteria," he said.

"Yes?"

"Would you - will you..."

_Will you join me for dinner this Friday night? Just say it._

"Will you be delivering the unicorns yourself?" he asked instead, feeling a sinking disappointment in his stomach.

"I wish I could," Asteria said. "But I'll be in Tokyo overseeing a shipment and in-store visual merchandising."

"Tokyo?"

"Yes, Japan and Korea are toy-obsessed cultures. The initial testing was very successful, so I have several international orders to fill."

"Those must be large orders." Larger than one hundred.

Asteria didn't answer. She just smiled at him, and he saw that wicked sparkle in her eyes again. They must be _very_ large orders. He made a mental note to check his invoice when it arrived, just to see how lucrative the unicorn business was. Perhaps he needed to invest.

"Stefano will be delivering your shipment," Asteria said. "He's my best employee."

"Stefano... Fabulous."

"It's almost Tea Time," Asteria said. She stood up. "Let me show you out."

Draco followed her out of the waterfall and down a winding path across the meadow. He even stepped over the Sweetie Pie Express without incident, which was amazing because he only had one thing on his mind and it wasn't unicorn safety.

Well, two things, if he counted the sway of Asteria's hips.

But the other thing, the more disappointing thing, was that he had failed.

He'd come here to ask Asteria out on a date. And he was leaving with a date for her amorous, gay employee to deliver one hundred toy unicorns to the manor. Stupendous failure. What had happened to him? He really was a playboy. He'd gone out with countless women. He asked them out, the pretty ones, and they said _yes_. Sex invariably followed. It was as simple as that.

But with Asteria, it wasn't simple at all. No one had ever made him feel this way before. Breathless and anxious and nervous. And he wasn't just nervous because of the swan fiasco. He was afraid she might say _no_, in that sweet and gracious way of hers and that it would matter if she rejected him.

She meant more than all the others.

_Fortune favors the brave._

"Asteria," Draco said. He clumsily grabbed her hand, feeling like a stupid, impulsive Gryffindor.

She turned, her eyes wide. She stared at their joined hands for a moment before gazing up at him.

"Yes, Draco?"**  
><strong>

"Will you join me for dinner when you return from your trip?"

Asteria didn't say anything. For a long moment, she just looked at him with a pleasantly neutral expression. She was going to turn him down with the most impeccable of manners. He heard the incredible shattering of a giant ice swan. This was going to hurt.

"Yes," she said. "I should be back in about a week."

Draco couldn't stop himself from smiling. He felt high on _Felix Felicis _again, the future golden and limitless. He looked down at her hand in his.

"Dinner in a week then."

_I wish it was tonight._

"I wish it was sooner," he said, leaning down to place a kiss on the back of her hand. One day, he would kiss her and not let go. He would kiss every lovely part of her: the inside of her wrist, her pale arm, her collarbone, her breasts. Reluctantly, he released Asteria's hand and took one final look at her. She read the heat of his thoughts and blushed.

_Now all I have to do is find some orphans_, he thought cheerfully, as he walked out of the shop.

Without a backward glance.

* * *

><p><strong>Reviews are welcomed! :)<strong>


	4. Chapter 4

**Three Days Ago**

"But, sir, the delivery tomorrow," Kullberg said, clearly agitated.

Draco looked up from his desk. Kullberg was a short man with large ears and bulging, brown eyes. He reminded Draco of a house-elf. Mrs. Kullberg, who had just sent an urgent Floo message to tell her husband the midwife had arrived, was not a beautiful specimen either. She had thick, black eyebrows and a hooked nose and reminded Draco of the bat-like Severus Snape. The Kullberg baby was going to be a hideous beast.

"I think you have a more important delivery to attend," Draco said. "Despite my reputation, I'm not a total bastard. Go home for the week. Best wishes."

"Thank you, sir, but one hundred toy unicorns..."

"And all their shite. I know. Just leave me the file. Knowing you, you've made a file."

"Yes, sir, but –"

"Dismissed."

Five minutes later, Kullberg Disapparated to attend the birth of his little elf bat, and Draco returned to his reports.

* * *

><p><strong>Two Days Ago, at Breakfast<strong>

"Are they here yet?" Are they here yet?"

The pink unicorn couldn't stop moving. It pranced around in front of Draco's plate of bacon and eggs as if the dining room table were hot. Its large, lavender eyes seemed to glitter. As in, literally shine with specks of silver glitter that hadn't been there before.

"No, they aren't here yet," Draco snapped. "And when they do get here, they're not staying."

"That makes me happy _and_ sad," the unicorn said and, curiously, it stood very still as if it were unsure whether to frolic or mope. Draco glanced at it, wondering if it had broken itself due to emotional overload. That would be fantastic. The little thing didn't scold him for cursing anymore, and it did spend most of its days exploring the manor and gardens, giving him some peace, but it was still as annoying as fuck. To see it so immobile was odd. Draco was reaching out to poke it with his fork when it suddenly blinked and stamped one front hoof.

"But I am more happy than sad!" it announced before racing down the length of the dining room table. "Today I will meet some new unicorn friends!"

Four hours later, Stefano arrived at the front door by Portkey with the delivery, which apparently had been shrunk to fit into Little Bo Peep's suitcase. The case was pink, ruffled and spangled. The front was charmed to look like the interior of the shop, complete with gamboling unicorns, and printed with the words _Welcome to the Love Magic Princess Rainbow Unicorn Shop Family._ Which was a nice sentiment, actually, for a passel of orphans.

Even though Stefano was a tall, dark Italian, he didn't look out of place holding the feminine case. Perhaps because his tailored robes were cantaloupe-colored, and he wore eyeliner and no less than eight jeweled rings. He hadn't been this flamboyant in the shop. With mild discomfort, Draco realized Stefano viewed this delivery as a special occasion.

"Hello, Mr. Malfoy," the Italian said as he walked into the entrance hall and set down the pink case. "You are looking very fetching today."

"Stefano," Draco said with a curt nod. He was fairly certain he'd never been called _fetching_ before. He was dressed in black and looked like he did every day – handsome, polished and austere.

"How is Mr. Kullberg's baby?" Stefano asked.

"Ugly."

"Yes, I can see how that would be. That is too bad. Poor little _bambina_. "

"How did you know that Kullberg had a baby?" And how had he known it was a girl? Draco hadn't even known that.

"Oh, Mr. Kullberg, he contacted me when he had to rush home. And Miss Greengrass, she asked me to send flowers."

"Asteria..." Draco's heart gave a powerful thump. "Is she back from her trip?"

"No. But don't you worry, Mr. Malfoy. Your delivery is in good hands. Very good, strong hands," Stefano said, smiling and fanning out his fingers. His rings sparkled. As an afterthought, he added, "We'll make sure those poor, wailing, motherless children get their unicorns."

_We'll make sure_... There was no way Draco was going to spend the afternoon with this flirtatious poof. One misinterpreted look, and he'd be fighting off the man's aggressive advances with every defensive spell in his arsenal.

"I'll be making the delivery alone," Draco said.

"But, Mr. Malfoy-"

"Alone."

"Ooo, so forceful," Stefano said, his eyes gleaming despite his pout. "All right then, Mr. Malfoy. All alone and lonesome."

"Standard spell to un-shrink the items in the case?" Draco asked.

"No, actually..." Stefano rattled off several instructions. He mentioned the manual again and something about the unicorns' bedtime. The most important facts Draco gleaned before shutting the door in the Italian's face were that at precisely six o'clock this evening, the case would open on its own and to leave a great deal of room around it when that happened.

Draco retrieved Kullberg's file and gave it to his Head House-Elf, along with the case.

"Deliver this to the address in that file within the hour, Hector," he said. "Be sure to tell the Headmistress to leave at least twenty feet of space around it until after six o'clock. I'll be at the Quidditch Club."

He'd rather take a Bludger to the face than face the weepy gratitude of a tribe of sweaty orphans. And he definitely didn't need any more unicorns in his life. Which reminded him...

"Hector."

"Yes, Master."

"When you've finished at the orphanage, let the pink unicorn out of my loo."

* * *

><p><strong>Three Minutes of Six O'Clock That Evening<strong>

Draco was always horny after he played Quidditch well. He could fuck for hours after a good game. And today he'd played a very good game, holding his own against two members of the English National Team who'd dropped by the Club. Since leaving the pitch, he felt exhilarated, his muscles warm and loose, his skin tingling with energy. The soft brush of his pants against his prick was giving him a raging hard-on. He needed a woman. Now.

There were a hundred witches he could call to satisfy him, probably more after the _Witch Weekly_ article. Too bad he only wanted one.

And she was in Japan.

Ever since he'd decided to go to Asteria's shop, a month ago, he hadn't been with anyone else. And abstinence was driving him mad. He hadn't masturbated this much since he was a teenager. He'd even touched himself today in the public showers at the Club, a couple of secret tugs that had done nothing but frustrate him. Now that he was home, all he wanted to do was fall into bed, rip off his clothes and wank off to fantasy after gorgeous fantasy of Asteria Greengrass until he passed out.

Asteria above him in a lacy, pink bra with dainty bows on it. Asteria beneath him, her dark hair long and wild across his pillows. Asteria's lush lips kissing his nipples and whispering hot endearments against his neck. Honey, baby, Daddy...

"Master."

Draco blinked, confused. The meek voice came from the shadows beside the Grand Staircase.

"Hector?"

"Master, Hector is sorry."

"Hector, come out here right now. That's an order."

The house-elf, who was normally dignified for his species, shuffled into the light, clutching a file to his thin chest.

"What is it?"

"Master said never to bother him at the Quidditch Club."

"Tell me what you're apologizing for."

"The file, Master. The address." Hector held out Kullberg's file in a trembling hand.

Draco snatched the file, opened it and saw a stack of notes from his mother to Kullberg about the Annual Malfoy Masquerade Ball. He pulled his silver pocket watch out of his vest. One minute of six o'clock. The second hand swept by the ten.

"Where's the case now?"

"In the ballroom."

Draco Apparated into the ballroom. It was a vast room with five large chandeliers that were unlit but glittered in the red light of the setting sun. The pink case sat in the very center of the parquet floor, and the pink unicorn stood directly in front of it. The toy turned when it heard the slight pop of Draco's arrival.

"Oh, you are here! You are here! It's almost time!"

The unicorn galloped toward him, its golden aura bright, and skidded to a halt at his feet.

"I am _so_ excited," it said, practically vibrating. "Are you excited?"

"I think the correct word is _apprehensive_."

"I do not know what that word means!" the unicorn exclaimed gleefully.

The Great Clock, which had hung over the parlor mantle for four hundred years, announced the hour, striking the first of six resonant chimes.

"It is time!"

_Five, four..._

The velvet drapes suddenly closed over the windows, plunging the ballroom into blackness. The pink unicorn gasped. Draco felt its tiny hoof press against the top of his shoe.

_Three, two..._

He drew out his wand. As he was about to whisper _Lumos_, the pink case began to glow white.

_One..._

The last chime echoed into silence. An instant later, Draco felt a pleasurable shock as Asteria's voice spoke from the case.

"The Love Magic Princess Rainbow Unicorn Shop of Diagon Alley in London..."

The case opened, the front of it falling forward slowly to reveal brilliant beams of white light.

"In association with Weasley Wizard Productions..."

Little balls of pastel-colored light floated from inside the case, rising up into the air. Draco suspected there were exactly one hundred of them.

"Is honored to present to you..."

The balls of light began to swoop around the room like errant comets, leaving colorful, sparkling trails in their wake until a pattern appeared in the air that spelled out Asteria's next four words.

"Your. New. Unicorn. Friends!"

Several things happened at once.

The words began to sizzle, exploding letter by letter into brilliant fireworks shaped like hearts and stars and flowers. Draco flinched, remembering the relentless power of the twins' Wildfire Whiz-Bangs in Fifth Year. It had taken a week to wash the smell of soot out of his hair.

The pastel balls of light began to pop in detonations of glitter. Each one became a unicorn. The winged ones circled in the air. The others floated slowly onto the floor and began to scamper around. It looked like utter chaos until Draco heard the music, something bright and lively with trumpets. He realized, with horror, that the unicorns were moving to the beat and then... They were in formation. The music grew louder. And the unicorns started to dance.

And sing.

_This was not happening._

Shuddering, Draco closed his eyes. Maybe they would all just disappear. Maybe it was a nightmare. But he still heard the music... and the sweet, sickening voices singing in harmony, saying the most terrifying things.

"_Will you be my friend? Make me happy like a flower._

_The rainbow of your friendship feels like magic in my heart."_

Draco opened his eyes just in time to see the pink suitcase transform. It was growing, its sides unfolding and multiplying and shifting like a complex puzzle. Soon, it had hundreds of facets and became an eight-foot tall, pink castle surrounded by a glistening, blue moat. The unicorns danced around it, making a strange, rhythmic tapping noise each time they took a step.

"_Will you be my friend? You're as sweet as sunshine pie._

_I promise all my candy love that we will never part._ "

Draco continued to close and open his eyes, vacillating between denial and morbid fascination. Every time his curiosity got the better of him, he saw something repulsive. A collection of pastel shops and houses popping up around the castle... A rainbow arching over the castle... Unicorns swimming in formation in the moat...

He glanced down and saw his pink unicorn haplessly trying to dance along. The little git was out of step, leaping about and wiggling its arse. It gazed up at him and grinned, looking happy enough to shit a cupcake.

Draco thanked Slytherin when the music finally raced toward the grand finale. The long row of unicorns kicking up their legs in unison all leaped into the splits. The words "Will You Be My Friend?" appeared in sparkly silver letters on the rainbow. Fireworks shot from the turrets of the castle, their light coloring Draco's stunned face like some sort of primitive war paint. Long before the last note faded and the fireworks stopped, the pink unicorn was jumping up and down, cheering, "Hooray! Hooray!"

Asteria's voice spoke again. "Your new friends were kindly introduced to you by Mr. Draco Malfoy and his family. Girls, can you say _Thank you, Mr. Malfoy_?"

"Thank you, Mr. Malfoy!" all the unicorns said as one. A chill ran down Draco's spine.

"And now the time had come for you to find your very own unicorn friend. Ready. Steady. GO!"

Draco supposed this was the moment at which all madness would have broken loose at the orphanage. Little girls and little unicorns screaming and running in circles and becoming best friends forever with hugs and kisses and licorice on top. But here, in the ballroom of Malfoy Manor, the silence was eerie. Draco was the only human in sight, and he was not about make any unicorn friends. The unicorns, however, did not seem to share this sentiment. With an almost choreographed precision, two hundred large, glittering eyes turned to gaze at him, brimming with hope. And determination.

_No._

Draco took a step backward.

"Will you be my friend?" the unicorns chanted as one. Upon some silent signal, they all rushed toward him, by land and by air, with joyful shouts.

Draco reacted instinctively, as if he were in battle. He blasted the little cavalry with a sweeping Body Bind charm, which had absolutely no effect on them despite a strange shower of acid green sparks. Shocked, he aimed his wand directly at the one of the winged ones and shouted, "_Immobulus_!" The unicorn kept flying through blue light and the rain of green sparks. Impossible. Unless... it was _shielded_?

_What the hell..._

"_Stupefy!_ _Tarantallegra! Aguamenti!_ "

Nothing worked on the little bastards. The air shimmered green. The blast of water from Draco's wand had clearly been deflected by some sort of invisible bubble that surrounded each unicorn. His greatest victory occurred when one of them slipped in a puddle and careened into three others.

"Oh, don't hurt them!" the pink unicorn cried out in alarm.

"Shut _up_, Unicorn!"

There was nothing Draco could do. Nothing. Not until he could get past their shields. Voldemort was probably looking up from Hell right now, laughing his demented arse off at a Malfoy's imminent retreat from a herd of love rainbow unicorns. But Draco still ran.

He was at the ballroom door, about to slam it shut, when he heard the hissing and looked back. The acid green sparks had never hit the ground or faded. They were swirling together now, forming a lumpy ball. The hiss became a whine as the globe spun on its axis, faster and faster until it was a brilliant, shrieking blur.

The unicorns were only thirty feet away from him now. But he couldn't move, transfixed by the object, wondering what was about the happen.

Suddenly, the green light froze. It was a perfect sphere. The room was silent except for the soft thunder of stampeding unicorns. A breathless second later, the green sphere contracted to pinpoint and exploded outward with a deafening boom.

Draco hid his eyes behind his up-thrown arm. When he peeked over it, the explosion was already forming words. They were as tall as a giant and sizzling green.

_HELLO FERRET!_

"Weasley," Draco muttered.

The sparkling words quickly reformed into new ones.

_BETTER RUN!_

The unicorns were almost upon him. He could see the mad glitter in their eyes.

As Draco stepped out of the ballroom and locked its doors, Weasley's message exploded, shooting off a hundred whizzing fireworks that took the shape of white ferrets.

* * *

><p><strong>The Next Morning, Otherwise Known As Yesterday Morning<strong>

Draco woke up late, feeling strange.

After his pathetic skirmish with the unicorns last night, due to Weasley's shield prank, his Quidditch high and his ardor had been obliterated. He'd gone to bed furious, Silencing his room against the distant sound of inexhaustible fireworks, and possibly inexhaustible toy unicorns, destroying his ballroom.

But today, he woke up to true silence. He was warm and naked under his sheets. He had morning wood. And he still lingered in the fading memory of a wildly hot dream. What had Asteria been doing...

Oh, yes. She'd been sucking him off. Draco groaned.

Everything else could wait.

He closed his eyes, breathed deeply and tried to sink back into his dream. He ran his fingers down his chest and stomach until he was touching his erection, lightly teasing it. He imagined Asteria's blue eyes staring up at him, over the plain of his body, as she kneeled between his legs. He gave a luxurious stretch, arching his back and letting his head fall back. A tremor ran through him. He gripped his cock firmly in one hand and stroked it. Desire blazed quickly, as it always did when he fantasized about her. He pressed his hips up into his hand, pumping harder and faster.

"Hellooo?" a tiny voice said from the foot of the bed.

"Shit!"

As he struggled to sit upright, Draco must have kicked the pink unicorn, because it was launched high into the air, the shock on its face quickly becoming elation. It landed with a soft thump back on the mattress.

"That was fun!" it shouted, hopping up and jumping on the bed. "Again! Again!"

"What the fuck are you doing here?" Draco snarled.

"I wish I had wings! Will you get me wings?"

"Don't ever come into my bedroom again!" Draco realized he was holding his sheet primly against his chest and dropped it.

"But I had to tell you-"

"Wait." Draco interrupted. His eyes narrowed. "How did you get out of the ballroom?"

"That's what I came to tell you. About the others..."

Draco heard the sharp clatter of breaking glass from the hallway. It was followed by high-pitched screams and a sound like low, rumbling drumbeats.

"What about the others?" Draco said. He looked intently at the pink unicorn.

For once, it wasn't prancing or dancing or even talking. It stared up at him earnestly with large, solemn, lavender eyes and whispered, "They've gone wild."

* * *

><p><strong>Reviews are welcomed! :)<strong>


	5. Chapter 5

**That Afternoon**

_All this could have been mine._

As Pansy stared up at the beautiful facade of Malfoy Manor, the Slytherin in her couldn't help but think this. And it was true. She and Draco had been best friends since they were children. They'd been lovers for a year. She would have made a fantastic Lady Malfoy. But the truth was she was happier spending all her time at Ginny Weasley's shabby flat than she ever would have been in this mansion. Her toothbrush hung beside Ginny's over a bathroom counter the size of a throw pillow, and she loved it.

She was glad, however, Draco hadn't noticed Asteria until he did. As a girl, it would have made her sad and jealous to lose him to the beauty, who now happened to be one of her best girl friends. The only reason he hadn't known Asteria since childhood was that Leda Greengrass loathed Narcissa Malfoy for stealing Lucius away from her. Or so Pansy's mother had once said, with a gleam in her eye. It was on Pansy's list to get her mother drunk one night and hear all the salacious details.

But today, she could finally cross something else off her list. Favor Number Two to Asteria.

The international letter had arrived from Tokyo an hour ago, delivered with amazing speed by an expensive courier that used a combination of Apparition, Portkey and broom messengers.

It simply said: _Pansy, Calling in Favor Number Two. Please go to Draco's. If all is well, do nothing and no need to answer. If all is not well, do not assist but deliver the enclosed letter to Minister Shacklebolt. He is in his office today. Trust me. Love, Asteria_

And that bitch had magically sealed her letter to the Minister of Magic. What the hell was going on? Pansy tossed the end of her scarf over her shoulder and rapped on the front door of the manor. The silver knocker was no longer shaped like a snake but a tasteful letter _M_. It took a full minute for a house- elf to answer the door.

"Good afternoon, Miss Parkinson."

"Good afternoon," Pansy said, sweeping into the entrance hall. "I'm here to see..."

Her words trailed away as the elf turned its back on her, walked into a tiny room she knew to be a coat closet and shut and locked the door behind him. She was about to demand answers when something caught her eye down a corridor. What appeared to be a pink rat was running toward her. She squinted. No, not a rat. Rodents didn't make clip-cloppy sounds when they ran. And they didn't emit a golden glow either. It was one of Asteria's unicorns. It was pink with silver stars on its body, a rainbow mane and tail and freakishly large, purple eyes. It stopped at Pansy's feet and gazed up at her with a look of pure excitement.

"My name is Shut Up Unicorn," it announced in a high, cheerful voice. "What's yours?"

Pansy stifled a smile and arched one dark, elegant eyebrow.

"I'm Pansy Parkinson."

"Hello, Pansy Parkinson. I like your gimlikin scarf. I want a gimlikin scarf."

"Why, thank you, Shut Up Unicorn." She was impressed. The little thing had taste. "Can you tell me where Draco Malfoy is?"

"Oh, yes. Yes, I can. He is hiding in the library reading books. I will take you there. He is _it_, you know."

Pansy's brow wrinkled as she wondered what the unicorn meant by that. As she walked the familiar path to the library, she noticed something was off. A painting hung crookedly on the wall. A cloisonné vase holding a ginkgo was shattered, spilling wet, black dirt onto the carpet. Little hoof prints had trailed through the mess. After ten steps, the prints formed a crude heart stamped out of dirt.

"Shut Up Unicorn, what did you mean when you said Draco was _it_?"

"We are playing Tag, and he is _it_. But he cannot catch us. We're too fast."

"We?"

Pansy's question was answered when she and Shut Up Unicorn turned a corner and saw a herd of thirty toy unicorns standing in a circle. One sat in the middle. It was pale yellow with pink, glittery hearts on its bottom and a pale blue mane and tail. Pansy wondered, morbidly, if she was about witness a ritual unicorn sacrifice or perhaps a gang bang.

"Go!" the yellow unicorn cried out.

All the unicorns in the ring began to turn in circles, chasing their own tails.

"Faster!" ordered the yellow unicorn.

"It's a dizzy race!" Shut Up Unicorn exclaimed. It began turning in circles, too.

Half a minute later, after repeated demands to go faster, the yellow unicorn shouted, "Stop!"

All the unicorns stopped turning and tried to walk, every one of them veering and stumbling like a bunch of tiny drunks. They careened into each other and fell down and giggled.

"Being dizzy is fun!" Shut Up Unicorn said. It looked up at Pansy, which disturbed its equilibrium even more, and tottered against the leg of a console table. A crystal vase full of white roses teetered dangerously. Pansy held her breath. The vase didn't fall.

Until a squadron of flying unicorns zoomed right over her head and dive bombed the roses.

Their battle cry was "Pretty!"

The vase fell to the floor with a crash. All the unicorns, both dizzy and winged, squealed and then delicately picked through the wreckage to smell the roses. Pansy quickened her pace to the library. Shut Up Unicorn followed, its path a bit wobbly.

She found Draco sitting in one of the large, leather armchairs by the library fireplace. He wasn't himself and had lost the cold, polished veneer which he normally presented to the world. He wore black, as usual, but no jacket. His shirt was unbuttoned, the cuffs undone and pushed up. He hunched over a book, reading with intense concentration. And although nothing could disturb the perfection of his pale hair (an advantage of very expensive haircuts) she noticed that one his eyebrows looked bushy. He'd rubbed across it with his thumb and not smoothed it back.

He was so engrossed by his book that he didn't even notice the bold gang of unicorns that were venturing closer and closer to him, testing their boundaries in the game of Tag.

"Hello, gorgeous," she said.

Draco's body jerked in alarm as he looked up at her, his eyes slightly bleary until they snapped into focus. He ran his fingers through his hair and straightened his posture, looking guilty. Pansy understood. She would hate being caught in such a vulnerable, and frankly silly, position as well. She reached forward and swiped her finger along his eyebrow until it was a smooth, blond arch again.

"She's _it_! She's _it_!" the unicorns screamed. Pansy turned and took a threatening step toward them, stamping her high heel. The unicorns shrieked and scattered, galloping across the library. Shut Up Unicorn followed them eagerly.

"What are you doing here?" Draco said.

"Asteria sent me."

"Asteria?"

The change in Draco was instant. He gripped the book he was holding hard in one hand and leaned forward slightly, tense and alert. Pansy would have sworn he had more color in his cheeks, too. When he spoke, however, his voice was cool. "Why would she send you?"

"I think she tracks these little guys to see if something goes awry. In case you didn't know it, _this_ is the definition of awry," Pansy said with an emphatic gesture toward a group of unicorns playing House inside a haphazard pile of books.

"Fuck," Draco cursed. He abandoned all pretence, slumping back in his chair. He looked more tired and defeated than she'd seen him in years.

"Draco, I don't understand. Why haven't you blasted these little bastards back to hell?"

"Because Weasley protected them with Shield charms." He held up his book. It was Alowishus Aacorn's definitive work on defensive magic. He tossed it onto the little house the unicorns had built, eliciting panicked screams.

"Which Weasley?" Pansy asked.

"Which one do you think?" Draco said, sneering.

"Have you tried using your elves' magic?"

"No effect. I can't even _catch_ them. They're too damn fast."

"Well, lure them in with cookies or something."

"Pansy. Don't you think I've tried everything? They're _protected_."

"I still don't understand," Pansy said. "What does Weasley have to do with Asteria's unicorns?"

"He helped her with the presentation. For the... For the orphans."

When Draco said that last word, he grimaced in pain as if he'd just licked an Acid Pop. He reached up and rubbed his forehead, to ease an ache, and ended up with two bushy eyebrows this time. Pansy grinned. This was going to be the greatest story she'd ever heard – perhaps even stranger than the giant ice swan incident – and she'd never be able to repeat it to anyone. Not even Ginny. Why was she so loyal to this pale git? She poured him a glass of Firewhiskey and coaxed, "Why don't you start at the beginning?"

Draco told her everything, and by the time he'd finished, Pansy had finished a drink of her own.

"That's fucked up," she said.

"Yes."

"They were singing and dancing?"

"Take whatever you're imagining, multiply it by a thousand, stick a rainbow up its arse and add Weasley fireworks. Then you're still not even close."

Pansy shuddered, remembering the green firework dragon that had chased her into the second floor girls' bathroom Fifth Year. Moaning Myrtle had plunged into a toilet, wailing, and soaked Pansy with disgusting toilet water.

"Where are you taking Asteria to dinner?" she asked.

"Nowhere now. Not if she knows about this."

"That's too bad," Pansy said, smiling. She knew something Draco didn't know. "But you're Playboy Draco Malfoy. You can just take some other girl to Paris for dinner."

"Venice."

"Oh, I love Venice. You can take me to dinner there instead. I just won't give you any."

"Like I want it," Draco scoffed and looked at Pansy with a rare, open display of fondness that made her feel warm inside. Not that she would _ever_ admit it.

The more courageous unicorns playing Tag had started to venture closer to Pansy with slow, tippy-toe steps. She glanced at the apparent leader, a pale blue one with pink wings, and sneered at it with a low growl. It didn't retreat as she'd expected. Instead, its blue eyes grew impossibly wide and sparkly as it trotted forward, smiling.

"Ooooo, pretty! You have a gimlikin scarf. I want a gimlikin scarf."

Games of Tag and House forgotten, all the unicorns in the library galloped toward Pansy, forming a semi-circle near her feet. They looked up at her as if she was the Great Unicorn Goddess, and she felt a strange desire to start issuing commands. Almost as one, in a cultish fashion, the herd said, "I want a gimlikin scarf."

"What the hell is a gimlikin?" Draco snapped, looking at Pansy's green scarf.

Honestly, Draco was lucky he was rich, handsome and looked good in black, because the man knew _nothing_ about fashion.

"It's a fish, you idiot," she said.

"I'm not the idiot wearing a fish scarf."

"It's not _made_ of fish," Pansy said, wrinkling her nose. She slid the scarf from her neck and held it up. "The fabric is enchanted to resemble the scales of a gimlikin fish in sunlit water. Look how it moves. Gorgeous." The delicate patterns on the fabric shimmered with a flowing, iridescent grace.

"Oooooooooo," all the unicorns said. They stepped forward, and the ones with wings, began to hover just off the floor. Pansy moved her feet back nervously.

"They're _only_ sold at Twilfit's," she continued. "And there's a waiting list as long as I am tall. Asteria's even started selling little ones for her unicorns."

Pansy snapped the scarf with a flick of her wrist, preparing to wrap it back around her neck. This temptation proved too much for the blue unicorn. It took to the air, pink wings flapping, and grabbed the end of the scarf in its mouth. The silky fabric slipped right out of Pansy's fingertips as the unicorn rose up into the air.

_That little shit!_

"Hey," she shouted. "Bring that back right now!"

The blue unicorn ignored her, circling the library with the scarf rippling behind it like a Quidditch banner.

"Stealing is wrong," Shut Up Unicorn cried out. Pansy could barely hear its admonition over the cheers of the other unicorns and Draco's laughter. Furious, acting on pure instinct, she slipped her wand out of her pocket and pointed it resolutely at the blue unicorn.

"_Immobulus_!"

With a flash of blue light, the unicorn froze in mid-air. The gimlikin scarf fluttered down until it hung limply from its petrified mouth, just within reach.

_Shielded, my arse... _

Pansy turned to Draco with a smug gleam in her eye. He wasn't laughing now, and the shock and confusion on his face was priceless.

"Well, well," she said. "Looks like they're not protected against _me_."

"What... You..." She saw the moment the idea occurred to him. His eyes grew bright and fervent.

"Freeze them, Pansy," Draco said wildly. "Freeze them all!"

The unicorns gave a collective shriek and scattered, hiding behind furniture and books and within the curling arms of the chandelier.

"Come on, Pans! What are you waiting for?"

Pansy looked at the immobilized, blue unicorn and thought of Asteria's letter. _If all is not well, do not assist._ The calling in of a favor amongst Slytherins was serious business, and Asteria Greengrass held onto a favor like no other. Pansy's obligation for Favor Number Two had followed her around like a shadow for nine years. She was ready to be free of it.

"Sorry, Draco, I can't help you."

"What? Bloody hell, you _have_ to help me."

"Favor to Asteria," she said with finality.

"Favor?"

"Favor Number Two , which is _none_ of your business," Pansy said as she walked up to the suspended blue unicorn and pulled her scarf out of its mouth. It moved its large pupils a fraction to stare down her mournfully. With all the authority of the Great Unicorn Goddess, she ordered it to leave the library the second she unfroze it, and it obeyed, flying away with a wistful glance back at her gimlikin scarf.

"Now," Pansy said blithely, "I have to go see the Minister of Magic."

"Pansy." Draco's voice was low as he stalked toward her. He leaned over her, tall and menacing, glaring down with pale, wintry eyes. He didn't scare her one bit. She was his only hope. He would rather slit his throat than ask Blaise, Greg or Theo to help him with his little unicorn problem.

"You shouldn't worry too much," she said. "I think help will be on its way in about a day. Beautiful help you might want to thank with dinner in Venice and a kiss at sunset under the _Ponte dei Sospiri_."

"Pansy!"

There was an edge of true panic in Draco's voice at the thought of Asteria finding him like this. Surrounded by wild unicorns that he should donated to pitiful orphans. _He's more than halfway in love with her already_, Pansy thought. And he doesn't even know her yet. Asteria only got better the deeper you looked beneath her sweet, pretty surface.

"Oh, and one more thing, Draco," Pansy said pointing her finger at him. She paused for dramatic effect before poking him firmly in the chest. "You're _it_."

With that, she walked out of the library, her gimlikin scarf sailing behind her. A stampede of toy unicorns followed her, running and shouting, "He's _it_! He's _it_!"

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes:<strong>

Although I am more partial to spelling my heroine's name Astoria, I went with Asteria for this story to match her sister, Daphne. Daphne and Asteria are both figures from Greek mythology. I named their mother Leda. In Greek mythology, Zeus took the form of a swan to seduce Leda. Many sources say Helen of Troy was the result of that union.

The _Ponte dei Sospiri_ is the Bridge of Sighs in Venice. It is beautiful and worth Googling. A kiss under the bridge in a gondola at sunset is said to ensure true and everlasting love.

Reviews are welcomed! :)


	6. Chapter 6

**This chapter is dedicated to LauraJLSMalfoyLloydD – you know why!**

* * *

><p><strong>Today, Mid-Morning<strong>

Draco expected Asteria to arrive later that evening. He might not be able to control the one hundred wild unicorns wrecking his house; he had tried everything and failed. But he could control himself. He'd just come home from an early morning game at the Quidditch Club, a good game. He had hours and planned, in this order to – go to his room, make sure it was free of unicorns, strip out of his Quidditch gear, wank off, shower and then to make himself look every inch the handsome and confident nobleman he was. He would be waiting in the library or perhaps the dining room, when she arrived: conducting important business, reading a book, sipping a drink. He would tell her that her unicorns were defective and that he was returning them.

No excuses, no apologies. He was a Malfoy, after all.

He was three steps up the Grand Staircase, the pink unicorn behind him babbling about Hide and Seek, when a knock sounded on the door. And he knew.

"It's a friend!" the unicorn said, delighted. It hopped down the steps and galloped to the door, wagging its tail like a dog. The last visitors had been Pansy and her bloody gimlikin scarf, so several other unicorns trotted eagerly into the entryway.

"Hector," Draco called out.

The house elf walked out of the coat closet and, with a baleful glare at the herd, shuffled to answer the door.

* * *

><p><strong>Five Minutes Before That<strong>

"Narcissa Malfoy did _what_ to your mother?" Pansy said, her eyes wide. This resumed a conversation she and Asteria had paused in London, seconds ago, before Apparating outside the gates of Malfoy Manor.

"You heard me," said Asteria with a wicked smile. "Thanks for the Side-Along."

"It's no wonder you've never been here before. I'm surprised your family didn't move to Brazil or something."

"No one speaks of the _incident_," Asteria said pointedly. "No one." Mother would stab herself to death with a shrimp fork if she knew that the whole, awful story had been told once more.

"Understood," Pansy nodded. It was a promise made, and Asteria knew her friend would keep her silence with fierce loyalty. Linking their arms together, the two women walked forward, Pansy half a step ahead. At her touch, the wrought iron gates transformed into a swirl of black smoke.

"He won't be expecting you this soon," Pansy said, releasing her. "So he won't be ready. That will make him embarrassed and defensive."

"I can handle him."

"Oh, I'm sure you can _handle_ him, you dirty whore."

"Better a dirty whore than a rancid lesbian," Asteria said with a charming smile.

Pansy burst out laughing, startling the white peacock that roamed beside the gravel walkway. When she'd recovered enough to speak, she shook her head and said, "And everyone thinks you're so sweet."

"Oh, I am sweet," Asteria said. She blinked her wide, blue eyes. "I'm the Princess of Rainbows and Unicorns."

"Whatever, bitch. See you Sunday."

"See you Sunday. Thanks."

Halfway up the gravel pathway that led to Malfoy Manor, Asteria was surprised to find that she was nibbling one of her fingernails. It tasted like vinegar, and she sputtered at the sharp acidity. The summer before Asteria had started her First Year at Hogwarts, her sister had put a permanent Bitter Bite charm on her nails.

"Can't have a Greengrass looking like a peasant," Daphne had said. "Nail biting shows the world you're nervous, and being nervous is a weakness."

Asteria was glad for the charm the first time she saw Draco Malfoy on the Hogwarts Express. She had heard all about him from Daphne and Pansy, but that was the first time she'd actually seen him. He had passed by her car and taken her breath away. He hadn't been as big as Crabbe or Goyle, who had trailed behind him, but he'd been tall for thirteen, lean and graceful in his dark green school robes. Lamplight had castabrilliantglow upon his white-blond hair and the sharp lines of his face. He had walked like a king. An intense crush had been born.

Asteria had grown so nervous, her heart so fluttery, that if her fingernails hadn't tasted awful, she might have chewed them off entirely and taken her hands with them. That would have made wand work a challenge. But her nails had remained pretty, smooth and almond-shaped, through the years, even as her limbs grew gangly and her skin spotted with pimples.

Draco had never really noticed her, which was amazing considering they'd shared a school and a Common Room for five years. He had ever been the king, holding court, and she had always stayed in the shadows, intensely jealous of the girls he kissed and dreaming she was one of them. Rapt in her attention of him, she had seen the weight he'd carried during his Sixth Year. When his father had been imprisoned. When he had clearly been given some dark, secret mission. The night that Professor Snape had killed the Headmaster and fled the grounds with Draco, Asteria had lain in her curtained bed and cried for him until dawn.

Infatuation faded with absence during her Sixth and Seventh Years. She could listen to the gossip of Draco's many affairs without wanting to hex the tits off every witch he dated. She was over him. She had moved on. Or so she had thought until the night of the Greengrass Valentine's Day Ball when his amorous gaze had awakened all the hot, delicious feelings still buried deep inside her.

Why had he slipped and fallen at the ball? Why had she cast that damned Cushioning charm? The ensuing, bizarre disaster had killed all the swans but poor Ferdinand, driven Draco away and ruined everything. When he'd entered her shop two weeks ago, looking lost and gorgeous, she'd felt a jolt of desire and longing shake her entire body. She wouldn't have been surprised if she'd been glowing like one of her unicorns.

That's when she knew, with a bright and stunning clarity, that she would never get over Draco Malfoy. Never. And it was long past time for her to do something about it.

She stood at the door of the manor now. This was it. She'd sweep in and rescue him, and he would love her forever. Or something like that. She smoothed her ponytail, took a deep breath and rapped the silver knocker on the door.

It was opened by a house-elf. The pink unicorn, which Pansy said was named Shut Up Unicorn, stood beside the elf, staring up at her with a blissful grin on its face.

"Miss Greengrass!" it cried out, emitting a golden glow and hopping from hoof to hoof in excitement.

"Miss Greengrass! Miss Greengrass!" A score of other unicorns rushed forward to greet her, and she saw a strange, telltale gleam in their large eyes. She'd known when Draco kept the pink unicorn and then all the others, for whatever reason. The moment she'd seen that one hundred of the unicorns in Malfoy Manor had gone wild, she'd written her letters to Pansy and Minister Shacklebolt.

Looking up from the little herd at her feet, she saw Draco on the stairs.

_Oh my_, she thought, her pulse tripping.

He'd been playing Quidditch. She had always thought he looked so handsome in his Quidditch uniform. At Hogwarts' games, with her green and gray scarf twined around her neck, she had watched his every move, her heart racing. No one was more graceful on a broom. Harry Potter flew around like a reckless child. No style.

Draco stood on the staircase, still holding his Firebolt in his gloved hand and dressed in his uniform and kit. He was tall and fit and virile, his shoulders so broad they seemed armored. She could see a sheen of sweat on his skin. His pale fringe was a mess. Asteria felt dizzy. She didn't know where to look first. Rashly, her lustful eyes went straight to his crotch where the cream-colored fabric of his tight trousers clung to the shape of him. The very large, aroused shape of him. Her mouth fell open at the sight, and her cheeks reddened. She felt an aching pulse between her legs and clenched her thighs together, suddenly wishing she'd worn a pair of kneepads herself.

_Asteria! You're looking right at his prick! You _are_ a dirty whore!_

She blinked and forced herself to gaze up into his eyes, surprised to find he stared back at her with cold arrogance.

"Asteria, so glad you're here," he said with a sneer. He was clearly not glad she was here.

"Why?" she asked.

"Because your unicorns are defective. I'm returning them."

Asteria blinked again. His words were as sharp as manticore teeth. She could see rage simmering in his gray eyes and a flush on his face. He was actually angry with her?

Her unicorns were _not_ defective. They were absolutely ingenious feats of magical engineering. She'd spent years developing them, and Draco dared to mock them as if they were rag dolls with missing button eyes? Fury began to burn deep inside her gut.

"My unicorns are perfect," she snapped with a conviction that bordered on viciousness. Draco raised his pale eyebrows.

"Perfect?" he scoffed. "Do you call that perfect?" He pointed at a green unicorn trotting by with a cherry speared on the end of its horn. It stuck its little tongue out, trying the lick up the cherry juice that rolled down its forehead like blood.

"They're gone wild," she said.

"Exactly."

"Which is your fault."

"How can this be my fault?" he asked, his voice raising as he tossed his broom aside and walked down the stairs. "I didn't do anything."

"Exactly!"

The anger inside Asteria bubbled like a poison now. She'd been such a fool to rush here to help him, to think he'd be grateful, the arrogant prat. She'd wasted a perfectly good favor asking the Minister to grant her access to the ambassadorial Portkey in Tokyo. Now, she'd have to fill that coffer back up with gifts to his girls. Mirna, who liked to sew dresses for her unicorns, and Esme, who pretended hers owned a pet shop. Those girls could teach Draco Arse-ius Malfoy a thing or two about unicorn care.

He was standing closer to her now, towering over her, his broad shoulders blocking her view of the rest of the room. Defiant, she lifted her chin and spoke with disdain.

"If unicorns aren't given enough attention and a place to sleep, they go wild. This is clearly explained in your _Caring for My New Unicorn Friend_ manual. Didn't you read it?"

"I never received any manual," Draco snapped.

"Yes, you did. Stefano would have made sure of it."

"Oh, Stefano. Like I want to spend any more time being ogled by that cantaloupe, Stefano."

"Cantaloupe?"

Draco took another step closer. God, he smelled good. He hadn't showered yet, and she could smell the game on him, grass and leather and sweat. She wanted to rip his tight shirt right off and lick the salt off his chest. She wondered what he'd do if she sucked his nipples. As she swayed forward slightly, the fire in his eyes flared.

"None of this would have happened," Draco said in a rough whisper, "if _you_ had just delivered my shipment as you should have."

"My apologies, but I was delivering a slightly _large_r shipment."

He made a low sound, like a growl, and leaned in so close that Asteria fell back against the front door to keep their chests from brushing together. The anger had drained from her, replaced by a languid heat that made her want to reach out and stroke his erection just to see how he'd react.

"I'm returning the unicorns," Draco said. "I don't have to explain myself to you, Miss Greengrass."

"And I don't have to take them back. Read your receipt, Mr. Malfoy."

For a breathless moment, she thought he would kiss her. Her hips almost bucked in anticipation. She was very careful to keep still, to notice how the door felt behind her, the wood hard against her back and the palms of her hands. He looked down at her, his gaze predatory.

"Please, please, do not fight," a wispy, little voice begged near their feet. It was Shut Up Unicorn, and he sounded almost weepy. "Please be friends."

Draco and Asteria never broke their stare.

"We're not fighting," she whispered.

"We are friends," he answered just as softly.

_I'm going to kiss her_, Draco thought. He couldn't stop himself. Surrender flowed through his blood, as warm and reckless as a shot of Firewhiskey. His entire body trembled with need. He was a second away from leaning down when Asteria spoke.

"In fact, Shut Up Unicorn," she said a bit too brightly, "I'm going to help Mr. Malfoy control his wild unicorns." Her brisk words snapped Draco out of his sensual trance. He stepped back, looking down at her, bewildered. Had she just told his unicorn to shut up? More importantly, had she just said she'd help him?

"You're going to take them back?" he asked.

"I'm going to tame them, repackage them and then personally deliver them to the orphanage for you. But I'm only doing this as a favor to you."

"A favor," he said, weighing the significance of the word.

"Yes, Favor Number One, owed to Asteria Greengrass by Draco Malfoy."

This was not to be taken lightly. Slytherin favors were near-magical bonds in strength. Honor amongst snakes. A favor could be redeemed only once, any task named at any time future time, and repayment could not be refused. Draco had only promised two favors in his lifetime, and both of them had been discharged to his relief.

"Do you accept?" Asteria asked, holding out her hand.

"I do," Draco said, taking it without hesitation. His fingers lingered on the soft skin of her palm as she pulled away.

"Wonderful," she said. "Now, where is their castle?"

"In the ballroom."

As he and Asteria walked down the corridor, she called out, "Tea time in the ballroom!"

"Tea time! Tea time!" the unicorns cried out. They followed her, chattering with excitement. The ranks grew after Asteria held her wand up to her throat, cast a _Sonorus_ spell and repeated her announcement.

Draco glanced sidelong at her, at the delicate wood of her wand against her white skin. His eyes gazed at her slender neck, the line of her jaw, the diamond twinkling in her earlobe. She had her hair up in a sleek ponytail as she always did and wore pretty, tailored robes the color of lilacs. The belt around her waist was impossibly tiny.

In retrospect, playing Quidditch this morning had been a huge mistake. It had been a good game, and he'd had a hard-on since Apparating home. The aching pressure had only intensified since Asteria's unexpected arrival, becoming acute torture with every shift or step. The sight of her blue eyes staring at his erection. God, he'd nearly lost his load then.

He'd felt vulnerable to be caught looking so weak - sweaty and hard and surrounded by dumb-arse, cherry-licking unicorns. He'd lashed out in anger. Her equally angry response had surprised him. She was very sensitive about the little bastards, and the defensive flash of fury in her eyes had tossed him even deeper into arousal.

And then when she'd leaned back against the door, her cheeks flushing and her gorgeous lips parting... Perhaps he hadn't lost his chance with her.

"Wait here," Asteria said as they entered the ballroom. Draco leaned back against the door jamb.

He hadn't been back here since he'd fled two days ago. The floor was ruined. He'd have to bring in the artisans from Florence. One of the chandeliers had ropes of crystals hanging down from it like vines, and there were scorch marks on the ceiling. Maybe he'd bill Weasley for the repairs. Diversify by adding a successful joke shop to his investments.

Asteria walked to the pink castle. A rainbow still hovered over it. Unicorns followed her, weaving around her feet, and Draco noticed her shoes. They were lilac-colored high heels with embroidered flowers and a tiny bow on each side. Flirtatious as a pair of knickers. She always wore the sexiest shoes. He resisted the urge to press his hand against his arousal for a moment of relief.

"Is everyone here?" Asteria asked, her voice its normal volume. "Let's see." Wordlessly, she swished her wand in the air, and little balls of glowing light rose from each unicorn. Blue from the blue ones. Yellow from the yellow ones.

"Ooooooooo, pretty!"

The spheres floated up to Asteria, forming a sort of lazy abacus. With a snap of her wand, they rearranged into a precise, evenly distributed grid. Almost. Ten up. Ten across. And a pink one lingering on the side.

"One hundred and one," she said.

"Wait."

Draco pushed off from the door and walked toward her. He looked down at the crowd of unicorns. It was a surging, pastel sea, and he couldn't find the pink one. On instinct, he reached out and touched the pink sphere with his forefinger.

"That tickles!" the pink unicorn giggled.

"I'm keeping that one," Draco said. He knew there was a touch of arrogance in his voice. He couldn't help it when he felt like an idiot.

No excuses, no apologies.

Asteria didn't even blink. Much to its delight, she floated the pink unicorn out of the herd and placed it at Draco's feet. It stared up at him, glowing.

"You are my friend," it said.

"Shut up," Draco muttered.

"Yes, Shut Up Unicorn is your friend."

Draco rolled his eyes, uncertain why he was keeping the barmy, little thing.

The taming and containment of one hundred wild unicorns was accomplished with a great deal less spectacle than their arrival. There was no singing or dancing, no fireworks. With efficient movements, Asteria Vanished the balls of light. She ordered the unicorns into the castle for Tea Time. When the last one was inside, she lowered the portcullis and raised the drawbridge. Then the entire scene – castle, rainbow, moat and village – began to fold in upon itself like a puzzle, collapsing and shrinking, until it was a pink, sparkly suitcase again.

"Now, then," Asteria said. "I think tea sounds nice. Draco, would you please call Hector?"

* * *

><p><strong>Reviews are welcomed!<strong>


	7. Chapter 7

**Five Minutes After That**

Draco and Asteria sat near each other on a velvet sofa in the parlor, sipping tea. The Great Clock ticked behind them. And there wasn't a single, bloody unicorn in sight. The pink one had seemed lonely so Draco had sent it into the garden to find a blue and white butterfly.

But he wasn't thinking about unicorns now. And although he was still dressed for Quidditch, hadn't showered and had a painful erection – he wasn't really thinking about those things either. He was thinking, _She knows my house elf's name. She knows how I take my tea. She knew I was in trouble and came halfway around the world to help me. _ Draco savored the taste of sugar on his tongue and gazed at Asteria, not even trying to hide his captivation anymore.

"Draco," she said. "We're both Slytherins, and it is not in our nature, but I would like total honesty between us now."

That was a strange thing to want. "Why?" he asked, studying her sleek hair. There wasn't a strand out of place.

"Because honesty has its rewards," she said as she set her teacup and saucer down on the table. Then she placed her hand on his leg, just above his kneepad.

Draco jumped, his teacup rattling in its saucer. His heart thundered inside his chest. It took all his will not to close his eyes and moan. He stared down at her elegant hand on him. He could feel the heat of her touch through the thin fabric of his trousers. He looked into her serene blue eyes, trying to gauge her intent.

"What would you like to know?" he whispered.

"Why did you buy one hundred and one unicorns from my shop?" she asked. Her fingers stroked upward, very slightly, and a tremor ran through Draco's body.

"Total honesty," she repeated and removed her hand. His leg felt cold. The decision to tell her the truth and give her a glimpse into his heart was almost instantaneous. He _needed_ her to touch him again.

"I bought them because I've wanted to talk to you since Valentine's Day. But every time I saw you – at galas and parties – you were surrounded by people. I thought…"

_I thought I'd make a fool of myself again. _

"I thought, in the shop, we might get a chance to talk privately," he continued. "To get to know each other. Buying unicorns as gifts seemed like a logical excuse to be there."

Asteria smiled and returned her touch to his leg, stroking light patterns on his thigh with one pink, perfect fingernail. Draco's teacup and saucer clattered again, and he tossed them both over the side of the sofa onto the carpet. There was no way she couldn't see his arousal.

"And the orphans?" she asked.

"I made them up," he admitted, breathless. "Weasley pissed me off."

"What had you planned on doing with one hundred unicorns then?"

"I knew there were orphans _somewhere_. Kullberg found them, but then his wife had their baby."

"Yes, little Helen."

"Helen?" he said. "Unfortunate name."

Asteria didn't comment on the ugliness of the Kullberg baby. Her hand lifted from Draco's leg and moved up to caress the sensitive skin around the collar of his Quidditch robes. He gave up all pretense and closed his eyes with a low groan. His head fell back, exposing his throat. Asteria's fingers skimmed over his wild pulse and traced the line of his jaw.

She spoke again, and the alto tone of her voice sent a shiver down his spine.

"Pansy told me George Weasley shielded the unicorns from your magic. On the chance that something like this might happen. I'll have to deal with him later."

Something affectionate in her tone made Draco feel a stab of jealousy. He opened his eyes and lifted his head to stare at her. "You won't be dealing with him like this, will you?"

"No." She curled her fingers around the back of his neck. "I'm not attracted to men with red hair. Or weak portfolios."

"What sort of men are you attracted to?" Draco asked.

"Blondes."

As she said the word, Asteria raked her fingernails into the hair at the nape of his neck.

Draco's entire body reacted. His hips thrust forward, and he gripped both of his thighs hard. His lack of control shocked him. The lightest touch from Asteria inspired the kind of raw, urgent rush of desire he normally felt when he _entered_ a woman. And he'd never experienced this other strange feeling before – the soft, almost drunken sense of happiness that filled him. The combination was incredibly potent.

Asteria's hand slipped away from him. She returned her attention to her tea as if nothing had happened between them.

Draco stared at her, at her lush lips on the edge of her teacup, and smiled darkly. Two could play at this game.

"Will you be totally honest with me, too, Asteria?" he asked. He didn't bother to compose himself or remove his hands from his thighs. If he moved his thumbs, he could stroke himself.

"Of course, Draco," she said almost primly. "What would you like to know?"

"What's your cut for marketing Twilfit's gimlikin scarves through your unicorns?"

Asteria's teacup rattled in her saucer. In profile, he could see a light flush color her cheeks and the hint of a smile starting to form.

"Twenty-five percent of net sales," she said without looking at him.

"Twenty-five? Impressive," he said. It really was. He reached out and tucked an imaginary strand of hair behind her ear. She gasped and spilled tea onto her lap, creating a dark stain on her lilac-colored skirt.

"Allow me," Draco said. He hovered his hand a mere inch above Asteria's thighs and cast a silent and wandless _Scourgify_. Her breath quickened. For good measure, he added a touch of heat to it and watched her eyes widen and then close. Her teacup listed in her hands, and Draco took it and her saucer from her and dropped them over the side of the sofa next to his.

"And how much have sales of gimlikin scarves increased since the campaign began?" he asked, brushing the backs of his fingers against her cheek.

"Three thousand percent," she murmured. Draco would have marveled at the number if Asteria hadn't curled toward him with a sigh, leaning into his touch. Her knee bumped against his. He put his arm around her, gently pulling her against him until her head rested on his shoulder. When she lay her hand on his chest, he lay his hand over hers, tracing the curve of her wrist.

"What will you advertise in Japan and Korea?" he asked a moment later when he remembered his next question.

"Mmmm?"

"What will you advertise in Japan and Korea?"

"Oh, that's still in negotiations. I'm glad you mentioned it, however," Asteria said, her voice growing more lucid. "I wanted to ask you to look over the proposals with me. And I'd like your advice on contracts as well."

"Of course. But just confirm something for me first," he said, taking her hand in his. "You have, within your command, an army of thousands of little girls both here and on foreign soil."

"I don't consider them an army," she said, looking at him with a sly expression. "They're part of the Love Magic Princess Rainbow Unicorn family."

"And boys next year?" Draco asked.

"Probably by April."

She was bloody brilliant.

"Show me," he said, brimming with curiosity. "Tell every toy unicorn in Britain to go bite George Weasley in the arse."

"Later," Asteria said, laughing softly.

"Promise?"

"No."

While talking, they had both shifted and slipped until they faced each other, their cheeks resting against the back of the sofa. Their fingers were intertwined. One of Asteria's knees was tucked between Draco's. He gazed into her blue eyes with their sweeping lashes and wondered if he would ever grow accustomed to her beauty.

"Total honesty," she said. Her voice was so low that Draco barely heard it.

"Yes," he answered.

In the silence that followed, he became acutely aware of the ticking of the Great Clock.

"How do you feel about me?" Asteria asked.

He listened to the clock. He listened to the rapid beat of his heart. And then he really _listened_ to his heart and what it had been trying to tell him since Valentine's Day.

"Asteria," he said, ignoring his fears. "I think I'm falling in love with you."

"I think I'm falling in love with you, too, Draco."

They were both lying. Or not telling the entire truth. But that didn't matter as they reached for each other.

* * *

><p><strong>Reviews are welcomed!<strong>


	8. Chapter 8

**Less Than A Second Later**

Their embrace was passionate. Draco pulled Asteria close to him, his hands gripping her around her waist and at the back of her head. With a shiver of pleasure, he felt her hands in his hair.

_Yes!_ he thought when their lips finally met.

He felt her kiss everywhere, every nerve in his body hot with it. As his lips moved over her beautiful lips, as their tongues stroked, as they moaned together – he knew that this was absolutely right. That she was meant to be his.

_Thank you_, he thought. To God, to the universe. It was not often that a Malfoy felt so humbled and grateful.

_Thank you._

A moment later, Draco realized that while he was being profound, Asteria was being aggressive. She had stripped off his Quidditch gloves and robes and pressed him back against the arm of the sofa. She was above him now, on her knees, kissing him. He reached for the buttons of her jacket. Before he could touch them, she was moving again, sitting up and pulling up the bottom of his shirt to reveal his stomach and chest.

"Oh, yes," she purred. There was no other word for such a satisfied sound.

"Sure you don't want me to shower?" Draco rasped.

"Very, very sure," Asteria whispered before leaning down and licking his bare chest. It was not a delicate flick of the tongue, but a long, wet lap that sent a shock of lust right to Draco's cock. His head fell back, his neck boneless, as she kissed and licked every inch of the sweat-salted skin she'd exposed. His ribs, his nipples, his navel. It was a wet exploration, all about _tasting_ him.

God, he had to taste her, too. He reached for the buttons of her jacket again, and, again, before he could touch them, she was moving, sitting up and pulling out her wand.

"_Divano allentara!_"

With a crunch of velvet, both rounded arms of the sofa uncurled until they lay flat, creating a narrow bed. Draco's head fell down. Then Asteria was above him straddling him and pressing her hot, wet knickers against his crotch.

"Fuck," he cried out, shuddering.

She was _so_ hot and _so_ wet it felt like they were naked. As she rode the hard ridge of his cock, he gripped her legs and discovered two modest slits cut into the fabric on either side of her skirt. He slipped his fingers inside and felt the silk of her stockings and then, as he explored higher, the silk of her skin and the ribbons of a garter belt. God, her underwear. She probably wore the sweetest, most beautiful, life-altering underwear. He had to see it. But as he reached up for that damned button again, he froze, stunned. Asteria looked like she was seconds from coming.

Her beautiful face was flushed, her eyes closed. She was panting and groaning and shivering – and was the most gorgeous sight Draco had ever seen. Her hair slipped out of its band and fell in a sleek, dark fall around her shoulders. Desperate, wandless and wordless, he Vanished her robes, leaving her in only her underwear and high heels.

_Holy fuck._

Her underwear _was_ life-altering.

Knickers, bra and garter belt, all dainty and lilac, embroidered with flowers and decorated with tiny satin bows. Just like her shoes. And the shape of her... She was long and slender, with soft, womanly curves. Her skin was blushing with desire. He looked down at where her body, her pussy, pressed against him. She was moving harder and faster now, making wild sounds. When she grabbed her breasts and squeezed them, Draco felt the last of his control burn away. He reached between them, pulling her knickers to one side, and slid a finger over her wet clit.

Asteria came, screaming his name. Her body arched back with a violent snap that sent her hair flying. Draco watched, in amazement, at the beauty of ecstasy on her face. At the sailing arc of dark hair that whipped behind her and landed softly on his thighs. He wished he wasn't still dressed for Quidditch from the waist down. He wanted to feel her hair on his skin, her pussy tight around his cock. He wanted to be inside her, losing his soul to sensation.

"Draco, taste me."

"What?"

"Taste me," she said weakly. And then, in stark contrast to the waifish tone, she stood up on the sofa, her lilac heels bracketing his hips. She towered above him, an Amazon, tall and strong. Her knickers were soaked, her thighs glossy. She took two steps forward and dropped onto her knees.

Which put her pussy right in Draco's face. She pulled aside her knickers with one, hooked finger and grabbed his hair with her other hand.

"Do it," she whispered.

With a rough groan, Draco grabbed Asteria's arse, one hand spanning each cheek and pulled her even closer. He took a deep breath, smelling the rich scent of her. Her pussy was pink and sweet, slick with her cum. Impatient, she rolled her hips forward, brushing the wet lips against his mouth.

"Fuck!" he cursed.

He ran his tongue through her delicate folds, licking the length of her slit. Asteria screamed and bucked against him, her fingers tightening in his hair. Her cum was delicious, lemony tart. He circled his tongue around her clit, and she began to go wild again, crying out with rhythmic, rising gasps. She thrust against his mouth, reaching for her next orgasm.

Draco was so dizzy with feeling that he could hardly keep his eyes open. But he did, gazing up Asteria's pale body as he ate her. Her breasts bounced as she moved over him. He didn't even know what color her nipples were.

"Take off your bra," he murmured against her pussy, adding a sly _please_ by sucking her clit. Asteria whimpered and obeyed, reaching back to unhook her bra and toss it to the floor.

Pink. Her nipples were pink and hard, her breasts lovely and alabaster white. He wanted to touch her there. He wanted to touch her _everywhere_. Curious, Draco tested his boundaries, slipping his fingers under her knickers and cupping her bare arse. He traced a path down her cleft and then softly brushed one fingertip against her tight asshole.

Asteria groaned and quivered. Her reaction told Draco he'd be able to take her in every possible way. He moaned, pressing her pussy closer to his mouth and gently stroking her hole. She came again, crying out, her whole body convulsing.

When her juices spilled onto Draco's tongue, he came, too. Much to his surprise. It was the first time he'd ever been brought without his cock being stroked or sucked or buried deep inside a woman.

As the world fell away, he became intensely aware of several things at once. Of the incredible sensation of his mind flying out of his body, of the brilliant feeling inside him. Of the flavor of Asteria's cum on his tongue, of her intoxicating scent and her soft thighs and soft whimpers. Of her hands in his hair, first gripping hard and then stroking tenderly. Of the way she chanted his name over and over.

With one final kiss against Asteria's clit that made her squeal, Draco moved. He lifted her off him and settled her against the length of his body, face to face, cuddling her. Her eyes were still closed. She still said his name.

He kissed her. He'd meant for it to be gentle, a coda. But Asteria slipped her tongue past his lips and starting licking, tasting her own flavor until she was practically eating out his mouth. A vision of her licking another's woman's pussy flashed through his mind, and he was achingly hard again. She felt his erection and smiled. Pulling back slightly, she opened her eyes.

"Draco?" she said

"Yes, Asteria."

"Fuck me."

Her voice was low and enticing. A shot of shock and desire raced through Draco's body.

"You said a dirty word," he said.

Asteria burst out laughing. It was loud, raucous and completely unladylike. At the sound of it, he fell a little more in love with her.

Asteria Greengrass was so easy to love.

And no one would ever love her like Draco would, because no one else knew her secret. She was really three women. The sweet one everyone saw. The cunning one who was building an empire out of rainbows. And the scorching hot one who pushed him onto his back and blew his mind, living up the promise of her sexy shoes.

He knew, in his prideful heart, that he was the only man in the world who knew all the wonderful parts of her. No man could really know her and give her up. _He_ would never give her up. He would love, honor and cherish her until the day he died. A vow he would swear on every drop of blood in his heart.

At the thought of their wedding, Draco was suddenly struck by another thought. An agonizing one that felt like a knife in his gut.

There was a way a gentleman treated the woman he wished to court, the woman he intended to marry, and this was not the way. He'd been taught to treat that woman with the ultimate respect. Follow bloody protocol. And he'd already gone too far with Asteria. With a groan, he turned away from her, rolling onto his back.

"What?" she asked.

"Asteria, we can't. We have to stop."

"No."

"I can't ... I need to do this right."

"What do you talking about?" she said, sitting up.

"You're not just another woman, Asteria. You are the _one_ woman for me. I must honor you," he said, stroking her long hair, knowing she would be pleased by his confession, knowing she would understand.

She didn't. Angry, her blue eyes stormy, she slapped his hand away.

"Calling in Favor Number One," she snapped.

"What?"

"You heard me. I'm calling in my favor, and you can't refuse me unless you want one _thousand_ wild unicorns destroying your house. Honor me _and_ fuck me."

"Asteria –"

"Draco," she said, a layer of mock sweetness icing her voice. She moved over him, straddling him again, her knickers wet against his stomach. She placed her hands on his shoulders. "There are things I've wanted to do to you for a long, long time. You might as well shut up and lie back and take it like a man."

Stunned, Draco did as he was told. He gazed up at Asteria, unspeakably aroused. She looked like an Amazon again. Her eyes blazing, her face determined and her long hair wild over her shoulders and breasts.

"Ask me what I want to do to you," she ordered.

"What do you want to do to me?" Draco asked.

Asteria smiled. She leaned down, her breasts soft against his chest, and whispered such hot obscenities in his ear that he shuddered. His eyes shut helplessly and his breath quickened. In between her erotic promises, she Vanished her knickers and the rest of Draco's clothes, leaving on her shoes, stockings and garter belt.

And then she was all over him, doing all the naughty things she'd promised. Half the time, he didn't know she was moving until she had already arrived at her destination. Her legs were everywhere, long and gorgeous and remarkably limber. He was certain, once or twice, he was going to get knocked in the head by her high heel – but she would adjust at the last second, perfectly aware of her body and its position, speed and power.

"How did you get so flexible?" he asked as he nibbled on her ankle.

"Yoga," she murmured.

"What's that?"

"A form of Muggle exercise."

Before Draco could say that he liked the results of this yoga, Asteria sucked his cock deep into her mouth, leaving him speechless and gasping.

Finally, finally, when he thought he would die if she teased him anymore, she moved on top of him, placing the very tip of his cock against her pussy.

"Time to repay your favor," she said.

With a savage growl, he gripped her hips and pulled her down onto him hard. A wave of intense pleasure washed over him unlike any he'd ever experienced before. He looked up at her, wondering if his eyes were lit with the same amazement that hers were.

"Draco," she said, her whisper awed. "It's so right. Please tell me you feel it, too."

"I do," he breathed. He reached up and touched her lips. She kissed his fingertips. And then they were thrusting together in a luscious slide of wet skin. Hard in soft. Friction on nerve. Sweat and sighs and bliss and love.

It was like magic. Not fleeting magic, not conjured luck like _Felix Felicis_. But something stronger and more elemental, like the first time Draco had held his wand at Ollivander's. His body was not his own. It was seized by something powerful that filled him with a sense of wonder and destiny.

When he came, he felt a sensation like fireworks inside him and over every inch of his skin, bursting and sparkling. As he gazed up at Asteria, at the beautiful line of her white throat, at her parted lips, he knew she felt it, too.

How perfect they were for each other.

* * *

><p><strong>Later That Day, After Sunset<strong>

"I could not find a blue and white butterfly," Shut Up Unicorn said. "And then it got dark. It's bedtime when it's dark. Will you tell me a bedtime story?

"No. Go to your room," Draco muttered from beneath a tangle of luxurious linens. He kicked out, but the unicorn was out of range at the foot of the bed. How on earth had it gotten up here anyway?

"Draco, tell her a bedtime story," Asteria said sleepily. She turned toward him again, naked and warm, her dark hair long and loose.

"It's not a girl," he said.

"It isn't? Well, then tell _him_ a bedtime story. Start with _Once upon a time_."

Draco twined one arm around Asteria's waist and pulled her against him, his cock growing hard at the silky feel of her stomach pressed against it.

"Once upon a time," he said, "there was an arse-brained, pink unicorn. And one rainy night, it fell into a dark, Scottish loch and drowned."

"Oh, no!" Shut Up wailed.

"But then it was rescued by a giant blue and white butterfly," Asteria continued between kisses against Draco's neck. "The sun came up, and they flew up to a castle in the clouds where they had a tea party. And there were rainbows and cupcakes –"

"And vomit," Draco added.

"And bunnies. And the arse-brained, pink unicorn lived happily ever after," Asteria concluded cheerfully.

"Hooray!" Shut Up cried out, hopping up and down.

"Now, time for bed," Asteria said. "Come here."

She sat up on her knees and picked up the unicorn. When she touched its belly, it fell instantly asleep. Leaning over the edge of the bed, she dropped it gently onto the carpet.

"Tell _me_ a bedtime story?" Draco teased, stroking his hand over Asteria's bare bum.

"Certainly," Asteria said, turning around. "Once upon a time, there was an arse-brained prince named Draco Malfoy."

One second later, with a shriek and a whirl of dark hair, Asteria was on her back, her limber legs wrapped around Draco's hips.

* * *

><p><strong>Two Minutes After That<strong>

Asteria was back on top.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes: <strong>_Divano allentara_, the spell that transfigures a sofa into a little bed, was created for this story. In Italian, _divano_ means "sofa" and _allentare_ means to "loosen" as in slacken, relax, release.

Reviews are welcomed! :)


	9. Epilogue

**I would like to dedicate this story to my husband who encouraged me to think bigger when writing it. (I was going to have a store window display, not Unicorn Super Disney.) I would also like to thank my Beta, Blythe aka niteshine. **

**Thank you all for reading "Will You Be My Friend?" Love, Captainraychill**

* * *

><p><strong>EPILOGUE<strong>

**One Year Later**

_The most charming feature of the magnificently renovated Malfoy Gardens is also its most secret. Far from the famous white peacocks and grand fountains, beyond a rolling carpet of green meadowland, hides the Waterfall Garden._

_Imagine, dear reader, a shimmering waterfall splashing down into a sapphire pool, creating elusive rainbows in the mist. Moss-covered rocks and delicate wildflowers. The rich sweep of roses clinging to sturdy oaks. This rambling, intimate garden is charmed to remain temperate during the harshest Wiltshire winter. In June, it is an exquisite jewel, set under a vivid blue sky soft with fluffy clouds. _

_Lady Narcissa Malfoy, ever gracious and elegant in white, shared that the Waterfall Garden was a Valentine's Day gift from her son to Miss Asteria Greengrass. This provides yet further evidence of the remarkable reform of Playboy Draco Malfoy and his devotion to his heiress fiancée. The couples' highly anticipated wedding is set for August 12__th__._

_Upon becoming Lady Malfoy, will the lovely Miss Greengrass close her popular, little shops in Diagon Alley: the Love Magic Princess Rainbow Unicorn Shop and the Blood Battle Centaur Warrior Shop of Doom?_

_Miss Greengrass indicated she had no plans to close either shop at this time. However, she did add (with a sweet glance at her handsome fiancé that frankly melted this reporter's heart) that "I will remain flexible and stay open to any and all possibilities as the scope of my duties as Mrs. Draco Malfoy become apparent."_

_-Excerpt from "Reformed Rogue, Renovated Garden", Witch Weekly, Volume 106, Issue 24_

**THE END**

* * *

><p><strong>Final Author's Notes: <strong>Supreme acknowledgement to Hasbro and the My Little Pony brand for serving as inspiration for Asteria's unicorns. If you don't have little girls in your life and want to feel completely dumbfounded (i.e. bitch slapped by a rainbow) watch an episode of _My Little Pony Friendship is Magic_.

For a little sketch I made of **Shut Up Unicorn** (my absolute favorite character in this story) to go Photobucket dot com and search Captainraychill and click to see my public profile (stupid html addresses won't post on FF dot net).

I received **GREAT NEWS** yesterday that this story was nominated by someone sweet for two awards (Best Comedy – Long Length and Best Post-Hogwarts Era Story) for the Summer 2012 Round of The HP Fanfic Fan Poll Awards. Voting begins May 1 – hint hint. :) If you would like to do so, go to Livejournal dot com and search hpfanficfanpoll.

**Reviews are welcomed!**


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